Leadership may be described as the ability to emphasize the pursuit of goals and motivate others to pursue them as well. In other words, leadership is a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal; inspiring trust, building relationships, and encouraging followers. However, an under-reported aspect that is not commonly discussed among leadership qualities is the ability to handle conflict.

Conflict management is a skill that leaders must be able to employ when needed, to help foster a productive working environment. The inability of a leader to deal with conflict will not only lead to negative outcomes but may also undermine the credibility of the leader. Hence, conflict management should be a skill that leaders need to give priority to learning and mastering.