The Strategy Skills Podcast: Management Consulting | Strategy, Operations & Implementation | Critical Thinking

Jeremy Pollack, PhD, argues that most workplace conflicts cannot be resolved by negotiating solutions alone. Before people can solve a problem together, they must first feel understood, respected, and heard. As he explains, conflict resolution has "two parts": "There's care, and then there's solution." When organizations skip the first, they often leave the underlying conflict untouched. Much of the conversation focuses on the psychological needs that drive conflict beneath the surface. Promotions, compensation, authority, and recognition are often the visible issues, but Jeremy explains that they are usually attempts to satisfy more fundamental needs for safety, belonging, positive self-concept, autonomy, engaging activities, and purpose. Identifying which need feels threatened helps leaders address the real source of disagreement instead of debating symptoms. The discussion also examines why some destructive workplace behaviors persist despite feedback or mediation. Jeremy explains that power over others is