Books & Publications

Books & Publications

When Goliaths Clash

Managing Executive Conflict to Build a More Dynamic Organization.

“When conflict is ignored—especially at the top—the result will be an enterprise that competes more passionately with itself than with its competitors.”  —Howard M. Guttman

 

At a California-based information services provider, the new president faced a stiff challenge. There was no communication between East and West Coast operations and enough sabotaging and clawing to qualify for U.N. intervention. Decision making stalled and sales plummeted.

Left unchecked, power struggles, animosity, triangulation, and subterfuge in the executive ranks can be devastating for an entire organization. But when confronted and channeled, conflict can actually be transformed into a dynamic force for achieving business results.

This powerful, original book shows senior managers how to effectively manage conflict. Based on Howard M. Guttman’s impressive consulting career and a 10-year survey of more than 300 executive teams—and packed with dozens of real-life examples from behind the doors of Johnson & Johnson, Coach, Campbell Soup, Motorola, Pfizer, and more—When Goliaths Clash: Managing Executive Conflict to Build a More Dynamic Organization combines insights into organizational dynamics with a wealth of practical advice, including how to:

  • Get your team strategically aligned on business goals, clarify individual roles, and establish protocols for resolving conflict.
  • Build high-performance teams—from the senior management team on down the line—where conflict is depersonalized and treated as a business issue.
  • Understand the roots of conflict in individual perceptual differences and organizational conditions.
  • Communicate effectively in the newest, ripest sphere for dysfunctional conflict—e-mail—and minimize the damage caused by recklessly hitting the “send” button.

There are numerous books on managing conflicts in the workplace. But few have addressed the debilitating conflicts that erupt in executive suites—and that can trigger division and rivalry throughout the organization. When Goliaths Clash shows you how to move from dysfunctional conflict to competitive success.

Thought Leadership

  • Great Business Teams

    Great Business Teams
    Cracking the Code for Standout Performance
    By Howard M. Guttman
    John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

  • Coach Yourself To Win

    Coach Yourself To Win
    7 Steps to Breakthrough Performance on the Job and in Your Life
    By Howard M. Guttman
    McGraw Hill

 
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