Very few people enjoy conflict. In fact, many people try to do anything they can to avoid it. Bonnie Artman Fox sees that as a universal problem. “We as a society don’t know how to stay in the tension,” says the workplace conflict expert. Conflict is healthy, Artman Fox argues, and with the proper workplace conflict strategies, addressing it can solve problems, spur innovation and move both projects and teams forward. Avoiding it often exacerbates the problem. “It’s learning how to have those difficult conversations, and in many ways, learning the skills of how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable,” she says. “Those skills can definitely be learned. It takes practice.”

In this episode of Promo Insiders, Artman Fox – who also recently hosted an ASI University webinar on family business conflict resolution – discusses why workplace conflict is important, and how to properly resolve it. The author of How Did My Family Get In My Office?! explains how our upbringing informs how we deal with conflict, and how embracing personal growth can help us be better at it. She dives into the differences between handling conflict digitally vs. in person (hint: she’s not a fan of email or text) and discusses how to create a culture of resolving issues without making it personal. Lastly, she walks through some common difficult workplace scenarios and how to address them: the abrasive superstar employee, the pitfalls of working with family and more. You’ll never look at a workplace issue the same way again.