Renee Evenson is a small-business consultant that specializes in dispute resolution and workplace communication tactics. She is the author of several books, including Customer Service Training 101 and Powerful Phrases for Effective Customer Service.

Most of us will be working today with people who appear incompetent, lethargic, spotlight-hugging, whining, or backstabbing at times. Then we go back to work with them the next day. Whether we like it or not, we spend the majority of our waking hours at work among individuals who can grate on our nerves.

Renee Evenson, a communications expert, thoroughly discusses how anyone may learn how to address unpleasant circumstances that can emerge while working with these personalities before they fester and spread.

Evenson presents practical and easy-to-apply strategies in Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Difficult People, such as:

• Thirty frequent personality traits, attitudes, and working events, as well as phrases that work best with each
• Dialogue examples demonstrating how wording improves interactions
• A five-step strategy for resolving dispute "Why This Works" parts that provide extensive explanations

Button-pushing issues will arise at work today and tomorrow. Don't let them take up residence inside you and turn everything to mold. Instead, use simple statements to reclaim power and end problems.

When you do, you, your coworkers, and your organization will benefit greatly!

Author: Renee Evenson

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Powerful-Phrases-Dealing-Difficult-People/dp/0814432980/

Ratings: 4.3 out of 5 stars (from 828 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #11,316 in Books

#10 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Books)

#49 in Workplace Culture (Books)

#51 in Communication Skills

The Arbinger Institute is a global training, consulting, and coaching company that specializes in conflict resolution and peacemaking in families, companies, and communities or nations. Arbinger's clientele span from individuals seeking assistance in their lives to families attempting to strengthen and rebuild relationships to many of the world's greatest corporations and political institutions, where Arbinger assists in establishing new levels of teamwork and cooperation.

What if disputes at home, work, and around the world all come from the same underlying cause? What if we consistently mistake the cause? And what if, as a result, we unintentionally exacerbate the exact problems we are attempting to solve?

The Anatomy of Peace shows students how to change conflict through the fictional account of an Arab and a Jew, both of whom lost their fathers at the hands of the other's cousins. We discover how they work together, how they assist parents and children in working together, and how we might find our way out of the personal, professional, and societal issues that bind us.

The fourth edition of The Anatomy of Peace includes modifications as well as additional information and tools that boost its relevance and usefulness at a time when society is sharply divided. It also includes additional thorough explanations of the pattern of dehumanization at the heart of today's most important issues with prejudice and discrimination—challenges that cannot be overcome unless the sources of bias and discrimination are fully understood and addressed. The new version is a one-of-a-kind and crucial resource for combating racism and prejudice in all of their forms.

Author: The Arbinger Institute

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Peace-Fourth-Resolving-Conflict/dp/1523001135/

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars (from 1703 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #7,028 in Books

#8 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Books)

#8 in Law Specialties (Books)

#11 in Violence in Society (Books)

Don't Bullsh*t Yourself author Jon Taffer is a television personality best known for his no-holds-barred approach to assisting hotels, restaurants, pubs, and enterprises in reaching their maximum potential. Taffer, the star of the number one show on the Paramount Network, Bar Rescue, uses his unmatched industry knowledge to inspire people and companies all around the world on a daily basis.

Most people make every effort to avoid conflict. Jon Taffer, the host of Bar Rescue, understands this. Conflict can have undesirable consequences. It's tempting to believe that avoiding confrontation is the path to a good career or marriage. In actuality, such is not the case; the key is to debate more intelligently.

Taffer's method focuses on deliberate conflict, sometimes known as "conflict with a purpose." There are selected and smart methods to have unpleasant conversations while remaining conscious of your aims and avoiding unnecessary escalation of stress. "The goal is to act affirmatively, constructively, and productively," Taffer says. Eliminating conflict isn't always the best solution; it will surely arise at some point. Engaging in dispute can be a good approach to clear the air and get to the bottom of issues that, once handled, can enhance friendships, reduce workplace tensions, and address problems before they become a problem.

The Power of Conflict gives you the rules to debate better, preserve your beliefs, and keep the dialogue real by providing easy-to-follow guidelines on how to best engage in constructive discourse to accomplish the results you want. The step-by-step approach begins with the origins of the struggle and concludes with readers equipped with the knowledge and confidence to fight for their ideals.

Author: Jon Taffer

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Conflict-Jon-Taffer-ebook/dp/B09JP8YPYS/

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars (from 146 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #22,177 in Kindle Store

#4 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Kindle Store)

#9 in Business Negotiating (Kindle Store)

#10 in Biographies of Business Professionals

VitalSmarts, a pioneer in corporate training and organizational performance, was founded by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler. Together, they have created award-winning training solutions based on more than thirty years of ongoing study and have assisted over 300 Fortune 500 companies in achieving significant results through behavior change.

Perhaps once every decade, a book comes along that completely transforms people's lives. One of them is this.

Crucial Conversations burst onto the scene 10 years ago, revolutionizing how people interact when the stakes are high, viewpoints differ, and emotions run high. Millions of individuals have learned how to hold excellent vital talks since then, and the principles provided in this book have profoundly benefited their lives and professions.

Now, the authors have updated their best-selling classic to include even more strategies for taking the lead in any difficult conversation:

• New firsthand experiences of how these skills have altered readers' lives; new case studies demonstrating how corporate executives have effectively used these strategies to achieve results
• New video links explaining what to do and what to avoid during critical conversations.

New research findings provide new insights for using the skills taught in the book Crucial Conversations, which is packed with actionable advice you can put to use right away:

• Prepare for high-stakes discussions.
• Make it safe to discuss practically anything.
• Convert negative emotions into effective discourse.
• Be convincing rather than harsh.

Crucial Conversations helps you get past the awkward portions of conversation and create real, productive relationships that will benefit your life and work.

Author: Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Conversations-Talking-Stakes-Second/dp/0071771328/

Ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars (from 9709 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #9,196 in Books

#7 in Leadership Training

#10 in Running Meetings & Presentations (Books)

#18 in Business Negotiating (Books)

The well-known Mediator's Handbook gives a tried-and-true, customizable paradigm for assisting people in resolving conflict.

Beginning with a new chapter on assessing conflict and bringing people to the table, it explains the process step by step, beginning with opening conversations and exploring the situation and progressing through the phases of finding resolution—deciding on topics, reviewing options, and testing agreements. The "Toolbox" section then goes over the principles and skills required for a mediator to:

• Understand the Conflict
• Support the people
• Facilitate the process
• Guide decision-making.

The emphasis of the Mediator's Handbook is on what the mediator can do or say RIGHT NOW, as well as the underlying concepts and key processes that can assist the mediator make informed decisions.

The Mediator's Handbook has long been a popular course textbook for high schools, universities, and training programs, as well as a valuable desk reference for professional mediators and a practical guide for managers, organizers, teachers, and anyone working with clients, customers, volunteers, committees, or teams. It is considered one of the best books on conflict resolution.

The accessible handbook style, which has been extensively reworked to integrate current practice and thinking, lays forth a clear structure for new and occasional mediators while providing a rich, nuanced resource for specialists.

Author: Jennifer E. Beer, Caroline Packard and Eileen Stief

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Mediators-Handbook-Revised-Expanded-fourth/dp/0865717222

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars (from 352 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #187,924 in Books

#29 in Arbitration, Negotiation & Mediation (Books)

#113 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Books)

#199 in Business Negotiating (Books)

Jayson Gaddis is a global authority on interpersonal conflict and connection. He is an author, podcaster, speaker, and "personal trainer for relationships." He became weary of lamenting that street-level relationship skills are not taught in schools, so he started The Relationship School, an impact-driven organization dedicated to assisting individuals, couples, and teams in resolving their disagreements in order to have unbreakable relationships. He developed Interpersonal Intelligence®, Present Centered Relationship Coaching®, and the Getting To Zero MethodTM.

Conflicts in our closest relationships are frightening because there is so much at stake. If the conflict does not end well, we may lose our spouse, family, or career, all of which are vital to our security and existence. So we will do anything to avoid losing those relationships, like avoid conflict, betray ourselves, or become dishonest. Unresolved conflict has an impact on every element of our lives, from self-esteem to physical and mental health.

Jayson Gaddis is a relationship personal trainer and one of the world's foremost authority on interpersonal conflict. Gaddis has spent nearly two decades assisting individuals, couples, and teams in resolving their most difficult issues. He teaches individuals how to perceive the wisdom in dispute and how to get to zero, which implies we've successfully resolved our issue and have nothing standing in the way of a healthy connection.

Gaddis teaches the reader in Getting to Zero how to quit avoiding difficult talks and instead learn how to work through them. He demonstrates how to progress from separation to connection, acceptance, and understanding using amusing personal anecdotes, difficult instances, and practical tools and skills. This method improves on the old, tired, and static conflict resolution ways by providing a new, street-level, user-friendly road map on how to work through dispute with the people you care about the most. The book is regarded as one of the best books on conflict resolution.

Author: Jayson Gaddis

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Zero-Conflict-High-Stakes-Relationships/dp/0306924811

Ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars (from 128 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #36,476 in Books

#33 in Anger Management Self Help

#82 in Violence in Society (Books)

#145 in Conflict Management

The New York Times bestselling author of The Smartest Kids in the World, High Conflict, and The Unthinkable is Amanda Ripley. She has written for periodicals such as The Atlantic, Politico, The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

That is what "high conflict" accomplishes. It's our generation's unseen hand. It's also distinct from the beneficial friction of good conflict. That is healthy disagreement, and it is an essential energy that drives us to become better people.

High conflict, on the other hand, is what happens when dissension boils down to a good-versus-evil feud, the kind with a us and a them. The customary norms of engagement no longer apply in this state. The brain functions differently. We are increasingly assured of our own superiority while becoming progressively perplexed by the opposite side.

In High Conflict, Amanda Ripley, New York Times bestselling author and award-winning journalist, investigates how good people are ensnared by high conflict—and how they escape.

Our journey begins in California, where a world-renowned conflict expert is attempting to escape a political feud. Then we meet a Chicago gang leader who devotes his life to vengeance, only to find himself working alongside the man who murdered his childhood idol. Next, we fly to Colombia to see if thousands of people can be nudged out of high conflict on a large scale. Finally, we return to the United States to observe what occurs when a group of liberal Manhattan Jews and conservative Michigan correctional officers decide to stay in each other's houses in order to better understand one another.

All of these persons were pulled into high conflict by comparable causes, including conflict entrepreneurs, humiliation, and false binaries, despite their drastically diverse circumstances. But, in the end, they all found ways to turn high conflict into something positive, something that made them better people. They rehumanized and recategorized their opponents, and they reawakened interest and wonder, all while fighting for what they thought was right.

People do flee areas with extreme conflict. Individuals, and even entire communities, can choose to bypass the feedback cycles of outrage and blame. This is an eye-opening new way of thinking about conflict that will change the way we live in the world.

Author: Amanda Ripley

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/High-Conflict-Why-Get-Trapped/dp/1982128569

Ratings: 4.6 out of 5 stars (from 573 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #19,248 in Books

#74 in Conflict Management

#96 in Family Conflict Resolution

#122 in Business Decision Making

Jeremy Pollack is an entrepreneur, conflict resolution practitioner, researcher, writer, coach, and trainer. He is the president of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems, a conflict resolution consulting organization based in the United States, as well as a research fellow at Stanford University's Center for International Conflict and Negotiation.

Because conflict is an inherent component of human existence, it is critical to learn communication skills that will assist you in navigating these difficult times. The Conflict Resolution Playbook can help you find real-world answers to everyday problems and develop communication skills that will help you achieve breakthroughs at work, enhance your relationships at home, and lead to substantial personal growth.

You will begin by learning about conflict and the essential communication skills required for conflict resolution. Then you can put that information to good use by developing clear tactics for avoiding disputes, resolving them if they arise, and dealing with typical concerns like gaslighting and bullying. Along the process, you'll develop a deeper understanding of where conflict comes from, why it cuts so deep, and how it may be useful.

Improve your communication skills by doing the following:

• Back to basics: Identify the essential psychological needs of humanity- identity, safety, care, autonomy, growth, and stimulation- and how these relate to conflict.
• Real-world advice: Learn to understand different communication types, collaborate on solutions, practice assertiveness, and more through realistic scenarios and concrete tactics.
• The written word: Learn how to avoid or resolve common digital communication problems and improve your text-based communication skills.

Learn how to enhance your communication skills and acquire the tools you need to deal with any conflict.

Author: Jeremy Pollack

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Conflict-Resolution-Playbook-Communication-Preventing/dp/1647399521

Ratings: 4.6 out of 5 stars (from 206 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #20,335 in Books

#41 in Violence in Society (Books)

#104 in Communication Skills

#179 in Communication & Social Skills (Books)

Amy Gallo is a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, where she writes about issues such as self-management, leadership, and career development. Amy has helped scores of businesses deal with conflict more effectively and manage challenging workplace interactions as a speaker and workshop facilitator. Amy previously worked as a management consultant at Katzenbach Partners, a New York-based strategy and organizational consulting firm.

While some of us love a heated conversation with coworkers and others prefer to keep our sentiments about disagreements to ourselves, we all face conflict at work. We navigate an office full of competing interests, clashing personalities, limited time and resources, and frail egos every day. We all have the same overarching goals, but we don't always agree on how to attain them. We approach things differently. We get on each other's nerves. We are jockeying for position.

How can you handle conflict at work in a professional and productive manner that benefits both your work and your relationships? You begin by determining if you seek or avoid conflict in general, identifying the most common reasons for dispute, and learning which tactics work for which instances. If you decide to address a specific dispute, you can use that information to organize and carry out a good conversation. The HBR Guide to Dealing with Conflict, one of the best books on conflict resolution, will provide you with the information you need to:

• Recognize the most prevalent sources of conflict.
• Investigate your choices for dealing with a disagreement.
• Determine whether you and your adversary like to seek or avoid conflict.
• Prepare for, and participate in, a challenging talk.
• Control your own and your counterpart's emotions.
• Create a solution together.
• Know when to leave.

Author: Amy Gallo

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/HBR-Guide-Dealing-Conflict/dp/1633692159

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars (from 153 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #123,125 in Books

#79 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Books)

#373 in Human Resources & Personnel Management (Books)

#587 in Communication Skills

Edgar H. Schein is an MIT Sloan School of Management Society of Sloan Fellows Professor of Management Emeritus. Helping, Process Consultation Revisited, The Corporate Culture Survival Guide, DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC, Organizational Culture and Leadership, and Career Anchors are among his past books.

This international best-seller provides straightforward counsel for fostering the open and trusting connections required for addressing global systemic challenges and developing adaptive, innovative organizations—over 200,000 copies sold and translated into seventeen languages!

According to Edgar and Peter Schein, we live in a "tell" culture. All too frequently, we tell others what we believe they should know or do. But whether we are leading or following, the most important thing is that we arrive to the truth. We must build a commitment to sharing critical information and addressing incorrect assumptions—it could make the difference between success and failure. This is why Humble Inquiry is more important than ever.

Humble Inquiry, according to the Scheins, is "the gentle skill of drawing someone out, of asking questions to which you don't know the answer, of creating relationships based on curiosity and interest in the other person." It was inspired by Edgar's 20 years of experience working in high-risk sectors and the health-care system, where honest communication can actually mean the difference between life and death.

The authors examine how Humble Inquiry differs from other types of inquiry, provide examples of it in action, and demonstrate how to overcome the barriers that keep us telling when we should be asking in this updated version. This edition expands and deepens the concept, viewing it as more than just a means of asking questions, but as a full mindset that involves better listening, responding to what others are trying to tell us, and expressing ourselves. This is a significant contribution to how we understand human conversational dynamics and relationships, presented in a short, personable, and eminently practical manner, including case examples and a full chapter of exercises and simulations. Humble Inquiry is among the best books on conflict resolution.

Author: Edgar H. Schein

Link to buy: https://www.amazon.com/Humble-Inquiry-Second-Instead-Telling-ebook/dp/B08DG9CLB3

Ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars (from 777 reviews)

Best Sellers Rank: #39,178 in Kindle Store

#7 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Kindle Store)

#24 in Business Conflict Resolution & Mediation (Books)

#29 in Business Communication Skills