Understand Conflict, Enhance Connections

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This is the third installment in our Work Life series. In other episodes, we cover topics like imposter syndrome, whether mindfulness really works at work, and whether you should actually bring your whole self to the office.

Today's episode is one that many of us struggle with: interpersonal conflict at work. Our guest is a true ninja on this topic. Amy Gallo is a workplace expert who writes and speaks about interpersonal dynamics, difficult conversations, feedback, gender, and effective communication.

Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review and the author of a new book, Getting Along, How to Work with Anyone, Even Difficult People. She's also written the The Harvard Business Review Guide to Dealing With Conflict, and she cohosts the Women at Work podcast.

In this episode we talk about:

• Why quality interactions at work are so important for our professional success and personal mental health
• Why Gallo believes one size doesn't fit all when it comes to dealing with difficult people in the workplace
• Why avoidance isn't usually an option
• What the research tells us about work friendships
• Why we have a tendency to dehumanize people who have more power than us
• Why passive aggressive people can be the most difficult to deal with
• The provocative question of whether we are part of the problem when work conflict crops up
• And, a taxonomy of the eight different flavors of difficult coworkers, including the pessimist, the victim, the know-it-all, and the insecure boss — with tactics for managing each.

Full Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/amy-gallo-576