Book Review

The Power of a Good Fight (2002) Eisaguirre, L., U.S: Alpha Books

The title certainly caught my attention and any book highlighting the value of conflict in driving productivity, creativity and innovation is music to my ears. The memorable presentation of different conflict styles in the form of Pitbulls, Roadrunners, Golden Retreivers, Cobras and Eagles will provide a useful basis for many to help recognise power and pitfalls of the different styles of “fighting” . Predominantly a behavioural approach, it builds on Kilman’s model while making it significantly more accessible. Distinguishing between good and bad fights, showing us the importance of harnessing our personal mission and values and how the organisation can harness the strategic value of conflict, the book lives up to its promise and suggests how organisations can create a culture which encourages good rather than bad fights. The book is about reframing the way we think about conflict. It is about building personal and organisational capability to harness the power of conflict and provides numerous practical suggestions that will be of benefit to individuals, managers and consultants. It is a worthwhile resource especially for those working in and with organisations.

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