The main ideas of the book:

• When managed poorly, conflict can consume huge amounts of school leaders’ time, energy, and resources.
• With a wide-ranging repertoire of strategies for preventing and responding to conflict, school leaders can create more peaceful environments where precious time can be spent on teaching and learning.

Why I chose this book:

Chances are, you didn’t choose this job because you were hoping to spend your days enmired in conflict. You wanted to serve students, support teachers, and make a difference in your community. But in reality, your job includes tense meetings, angry emails, and district-wide controversies (and sometimes that’s just Monday morning).

I chose this book because I think it brings some hope to those days (or weeks) that feel like they’re overflowing with conflict. After you read this summary and try out the strategies and exercises, I believe you’ll find yourself stronger, more confident, and better prepared for whatever conflicts you face.

Get ready to pack a toolbox full of strategies to prevent, reframe, manage, and resolve conflict in your school or district.

•   4 foundational skills that can be applied to almost any conflict
•   8 strategies for addressing (and preventing) conflict on small teams
•   7 strategies to maintain good working relationships with individuals
•   7 ideas for tackling large-scale conflicts that involve a school’s entire staff
•   4 things to try when nothing else has worked
•   The Main Idea’s professional learning suggestions for improving your conflict management skills