Whenever people interact, some conflict is inevitable. We can’t avoid it.
In fact, trying to avoid all conflict can be a trap that impedes the development of healthy organizations – including parishes. When handled well, conflict can actually become an opportunity for greater parish growth and health.
Thus, leaders need to see each conflict as an opportunity for improvement.
It helps them to realize that there are two kinds of conflict -- task conflict and relationship conflict.
Relationship conflict is the toxic version. But interestingly, it often arises because we don’t adequately address task conflict.
In a free Yeshua Catholic International Leadership Institute webinar, Dr. Dan Ebener explains how to distinguish the two types of conflict and offers leaders five approaches to conflict that play a role in whether inevitable conflicts contribute to parish health or detract from it.
The webinar is part of an 8-part series focusing on the book, Pastoral Leadership: Best Practices for Church Leaders, published by Paulist Press.
Dr. Ebener is author of four books on leadership. He teaches in the Master of Organizational Leadership Program at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA, and he’s Director of Parish Planning for the Diocese of Davenport
We’re grateful to also claim him as a Fellow with the Yeshua Catholic International Leadership Institute.
To view this webinar, click here.
For more information about the entire series, click here.