Most workplace tension doesn’t need to be avoided. It needs to be studied, because conflict handled well produces better decisions, stronger relationships and more creative work than harmony ever does. That’s the case Tim Duggan makes after spending three years researching why so few leaders are ever taught how to disagree productively. 

Tim co-founded Junkie Media and ran it for 15 years, chairs the Digital Publishers Alliance, writes a weekly column for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and has written four books including his latest, Clear In Tention. He trained with negotiators at Oxford and became an accredited mediator through the University of Western Australia. 

Tim unpacks the four terrains of conflict, the difference between positions and interests, and his five-step CLEAR process for working through tension. Getting better at conflict changes how people work, lead and connect with everyone around them. 

Takeaways 

• Conflict is a learnable skill most of us were never taught. 
• Tension is a pulling force revealing hidden interests beneath stated positions. 
• Four terrains, summit, arena, swamp, minefield, shape how conflict unfolds. 
• Trust builds simply through making commitments and consistently following through. 
• Not every fight is worth having, so test if it matters. 
• Listening generously means surrendering the urge to interject with yourself. 
• Pay rise conflicts are rarely about money alone, they signal values. 
• Relationships inevitably rupture, but repair depends on trust and clarity. 

Follow Tim Duggan
https://timduggan.com.au/ 

Tim’s book
Clear In Tension: How to Get Better at Conflict https://link.amazon/B04sZQXwJ 

Books recommended
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer https://link.amazon/B0doxgH9N 

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEvolutionPartners 

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Books – Learn more about our books https://evolutionpartners.com.au/books/ 
Made to Thrive: The practical, prescriptive guide on how to be a great CEO 
Onboarded: How to bring new hires to the points where they are more effective faster. A business case for leaders on why you should commit to an effective onboarded process 
Onboarded for Managers: Helping managers bring new hires to the point where they are more effective faster 
Bigger isn’t Better, Better is Better: Avoiding the pressure of endless growth to build a better business (and better life) 

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