CUANDO LOS GOLIATS SE ENFRENTAN
Cómo gestionar los conflictos entre ejecutivos para crear una organización más dinámica
“Cuando se ignora el conflicto –especialmente en los puestos superiores– el resultado será una empresa que compite más apasionadamente consigo misma que con sus competidores”.
-Howard M. Guttman
"Según algunas estimaciones, los directivos dedican el 20% de su tiempo a resolver conflictos. Un directivo que gana 150.000 dólares estará desperdiciando, en términos de rentabilidad, 30.000 dólares de ese salario en conflictos. Si su empresa tiene 10 directivos, eso supone un golpe de 300.000 dólares en sus resultados finales".
"Gestión de conflictos ejecutivos": cómo crear equipos de alto rendimiento
About When Goliaths Clash
"Conflict in the executive ranks often snakes its way down to the trenches, polarizing entire organizations and undermining morale, productivity, and corporate goals. But managed correctly, the passion that powers these conflicts can be turned into a high-performance fuel that transforms not just executive relationships but the mechanics of the whole company.
When Goliaths Clash shows how to treat conflict as a business issue, achieve positive outcomes from divisive relationships, and identify the different sources of conflict, from assumptions, values, and wants, to stylistic clashes and organizational conditions.
The book combines real-world strategies drawn from the author's consulting experience with the results of a 10-year survey of more than 300 executive teams. Packed with examples from companies like Johnson & Johnson, L'Oreal, Motorola, Phillip Morris, and more, this constructive book will help unlock horns -- and open the door to more productive relationships throughout entire organizations."
The Praise for When Goliaths Clash
"One of the greatest challenges facing today’s organization is to ensure that its top management team is a cohesive, strategically aligned force for change. When Goliaths Clash should be read by all executives intent on turning dysfunctional conflict into honest, open debate; defining clear roles and accountabilities; and growing business relationships that produce results and success."
— Robert A. Lutz, Vice Chairman, Product Development and Chairman, General Motors North America, l Corporation
"You will come away from this book with a proven process—but not a cookie-cutter solution—for building high-performance organizations and harnessing the creative forces of hard-charging leaders at every level."
— Carol J. Hamilton, President and General Manager, L’Oréal Paris Division, a division of L’Oréal USA, Inc.
"When Goliaths Clash will help many top management teams and their organizations move from lackluster to top performance. Guttman captures the insights, processes, and techniques that have transformed clashing Goliaths into goal-directed, productive contributors."
— Chuck Nesbit, President & CEO, Sara Lee Intimate Apparel and Hosiery, and Vice President, Sara Lee Corporation
"When Goliaths Clash is a book written from the trenches. It is practical, hard-hitting, and provides lessons in leadership and conflict management that are applicable to leaders in a variety of business situations."
— Marc Robinson, President, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, Pfizer Inc.
"Too many organizations are consumed fighting internal battles rather than marketplace competitors. When Goliaths Clash shows executives how to bear down on business results, keep organizational energy directed at winning in the marketplace, and lift the fog surrounding the goal of creating high-performance teams."
— Carol Zilm, Worldwide President, Cordis Endovascular, a Johnson & Johnson company
Biblia
En un proveedor de servicios de información con sede en California, el nuevo presidente se enfrentó a un duro desafío. No había comunicación entre las operaciones de la Costa Este y la Costa Oeste y había suficientes sabotajes y ataques como para que la ONU pudiera intervenir. La toma de decisiones se estancó y las ventas se desplomaron.
Si no se controlan, las luchas de poder, la animosidad, la triangulación y el subterfugio en las filas ejecutivas pueden ser devastadores para toda una organización. Pero, cuando se los enfrenta y se los canaliza, pueden transformarse en una fuerza dinámica para lograr resultados comerciales.
Este libro original y poderoso muestra a los gerentes senior cómo gestionar eficazmente los conflictos. Basado en la impresionante carrera de consultoría de Howard M. Guttman y en una encuesta de 10 años a más de 300 equipos ejecutivos, y repleto de docenas de ejemplos de la vida real de Johnson & Johnson, Coach, Campbell Soup, Motorola, Pfizer y más.
When Goliaths Clash revela cómo gestionar los conflictos ejecutivos para construir una organización más dinámica, combinado con conocimientos sobre la dinámica organizacional y una gran cantidad de consejos prácticos, que incluyen cómo:
Alinee estratégicamente a su equipo con los objetivos comerciales, aclare los roles individuales y establezca protocolos para resolver conflictos.
Construir equipos de alto rendimiento, desde el equipo directivo superior hasta los niveles inferiores, donde el conflicto se despersonalice y se trate como un problema de negocios.
Comprender las raíces del conflicto en las diferencias perceptivas individuales y las condiciones organizacionales.
Comuníquese de manera eficaz en la esfera más nueva y propicia para los conflictos disfuncionales (el correo electrónico) y minimice el daño causado por pulsar imprudentemente el botón “enviar”.
Existen numerosos libros sobre la gestión de conflictos en el lugar de trabajo, pero pocos han abordado los conflictos debilitantes que surgen en los despachos de los ejecutivos y que pueden desencadenar divisiones y rivalidades en toda la organización. When Goliaths Clash muestra cómo pasar de un conflicto disfuncional al éxito competitivo.
El autor
Howard M. Guttman es director de Guttman Development Strategies, Inc. (GDS), una empresa de consultoría de gestión con sede en Mount Arlington, Nueva Jersey, fundada en 1989 y especializada en coaching ejecutivo, formación de equipos horizontales de alto rendimiento, alineación estratégica y organizacional, y capacitación en desarrollo gerencial.
GDS ha sido clasificada como una de las principales empresas de consultoría en desarrollo de liderazgo por la revista Leadership Excellence, que también nombró a Howard en su lista de los "100 mejores líderes de opinión de Excellence".
Conferencias
Howard es un orador muy solicitado sobre temas como:
“Grandes equipos empresariales: ¿qué se necesita?”
“La gestión de conflictos como competencia central del liderazgo”
“Cómo hacer que los equipos de alto rendimiento sean más eficientes”
Coaching ejecutivo: lecciones desde la línea de fuego
“Alineación: creación de equipos de alto rendimiento desde arriba hacia abajo”
“Desarrollar los líderes del mañana a través del autoentrenamiento”
Core Takeaways
When Goliaths Clash by Howard Guttman offers practical strategies for managing conflict, fostering collaboration, and enhancing decision-making in high-stakes business environments. Here are the key points:
1. High-Performance Teams Require Conflict Management
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Conflict is inevitable in high-stakes business settings, particularly when large organizations or "Goliaths" interact.
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The book emphasizes that managing conflict constructively is key to creating high-performing teams.
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Leaders should encourage open dialogue and healthy debates while avoiding personal attacks.
2. Aligning Teams and Goals
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Guttman highlights the importance of aligning individual and team goals with the organization’s objectives.
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Misaligned goals often result in inefficiencies and internal conflict.
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Leaders should ensure that team members understand their roles and how their contributions fit into the bigger picture.
3. The Role of Leadership in Conflict Resolution
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Effective leaders proactively manage conflicts by setting clear expectations and fostering a collaborative culture.
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Guttman advocates for "horizontal leadership," where power and decision-making are distributed across the team, promoting accountability and engagement.
4. Decision-Making Models
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Guttman provides tools and frameworks for improving decision-making, focusing on collaborative approaches that involve all stakeholders.
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Teams should prioritize data-driven decisions and avoid being paralyzed by analysis.
5. Organizational Culture as a Competitive Advantage
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The book stresses the need to build a strong, adaptable culture to navigate the challenges of large-scale operations and competitive markets.
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A culture of transparency and mutual respect can transform conflict into an opportunity for innovation.
6. Strategies for Handling Large-Scale Disputes
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The book offers case studies and strategies for resolving disputes between large organizations, such as partners, competitors, or divisions within a company.
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Key approaches include mediation, joint problem-solving, and focusing on shared objectives.
7. Continuous Improvement
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Guttman emphasizes that conflict resolution and team alignment are ongoing processes.
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Organizations should regularly assess team dynamics, communication effectiveness, and strategic alignment.
Practical Tools and Frameworks
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The book is rich with actionable advice, including conflict resolution techniques, decision-making frameworks, and team alignment exercises.
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Leaders are encouraged to adopt these tools to create a sustainable, high-performing organizational environment.
In summary, "When Goliaths Clash" is a guide for leaders navigating complex interpersonal and organizational dynamics, offering insights to turn conflicts into opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Buy the Book
Hardcopy and digital formats available:
Table Of Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xv
CHAPTER ONE: ANATOMY OF CONFLICT............................... 1
The Two Faces of Conflict....................................................................................... 3
Transforming Destructive Conflict........................................................................ 5
The Roots of Conflict................................................................................................. 8
What Causes Conflict?.............................................................................................. 10
Conflict: Red-Hot or Cool?........................................................................................ 20
Conflict and the Fear Factor.....................................................................................21
Options for Coping with Conflict............................................................................ 21
Outing Conflict.............................................................................................................. 25
Testing Your Conflict-Management I.Q................................................................26
CHAPTER TWO: WHY GOLIATHS CLASH............................... 28
Directional Discord...................................................................................................... 29
It’s About Strategy, Stupid......................................................................................... 31
Resolving Strategic Conflict..................................................................................... 32
From Alignment to Action......................................................................................... 56
CHAPTER THREE: HIGH-PERFORMANCE TEAMS AND CONFLICT MANAGEMENT........................................................... 58
High Performers to the Rescue...............................................................................59
The Way We Were....................................................................................................... 61
The Changing Face of Organizations....................................................................62
The Need for Speed.................................................................................................... 63
Smashing Silos............................................................................................................. 64
It Doesn’t Stop at the Top.......................................................................................... 66
Reaching High Performance: Evolution, Not Revolution................................ 69
High Performance Means Delivering..................................................................... 89
Where Are You on the Team-Development Wheel?......................................... 90
CHAPTER FOUR: THE ROAD TO HIGH PERFORMANCE... 93
Creating a High-Performance Team.....................................................................96
Holding Up the Mirror................................................................................................ 97
Looking Inward............................................................................................................ 99
Forgetting Finger-Pointing...................................................................................... 101
Depersonalizing the Data........................................................................................ 102
Reframing Business Relationships.......................................................................105
Embedding Protocols............................................................................................... 108
Assigning Responsibilities/Accountability..........................................................111
Clarifying Goals........................................................................................................... 112
Moving to Stage Four................................................................................................ 113
Becoming a High-Performance Organization...................................................113
CHAPTER FIVE:
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT AS ART AND SKILL............... 129
Skills Training: The Need for Self-Reflection.....................................................130
The Primacy of Influence....................................................................................... 131
Baseline Capabilities................................................................................................ 133
Assessing Where Others Stand............................................................................133
Assessing Where You Stand................................................................................. 135
Which Skills, When?.................................................................................................. 138
The Importance of Conflict-Management Skills.............................................165
CHAPTER SIX: E-CONFLICT.................................................... 168
E-Mail as a Lethal Weapon.................................................................................... 170
Toward E-Conflict Rules of Engagement..........................................................181
Check Before You Send.......................................................................................... 191
End Note..................................................................................................................... 193
CHAPTER SEVEN: LEADERSHIP IN CONFLICT MANAGEMENT............................................................................ 196
Leaders as Role Models......................................................................................... 205
Changing the Leader’s Style.................................................................................. 207
Making Change Stick............................................................................................... 210
The New Leadership Imperative: Letting Go....................................................212
One Style Does Not Fit All...................................................................................... 213
The Challenge of Changing Your Style...............................................................222
Giving Feedback: Ground Rules for Leaders....................................................223
Feedback: A Front-Line Perspective....................................................................225
The Leader as “Dealer”............................................................................................ 228
Honest Leadership................................................................................................... 230
Litmus Test for Leaders......................................................................................... 232
End Note...................................................................................................................... 233
Index.............................................................................................................................. 235
About the Author....................................................................................................... 249
