The best 66 Resolving Conflict books

Getting to Yes (1981) is considered the reference for successful negotiations. It presents proven tools and techniques that can help you to resolve any conflict and find win-win solutions.

We’ve all been in situations where rational discussions get quickly out of hand, and Crucial Conversations investigates the root causes of this problem. You’ll learn techniques to handle such situations and shape them into becoming positive and solutions-oriented, while preventing your high-stakes conversations from turning into shouting matches.

Just Listen (2009) combines time-tested persuasion and listening techniques with new methods to help you get your message across to anybody. By learning how to be a better listener, how the brain works and how people think, you’ll be able to motivate people to do what you want because you’ll better understand their needs.

Talk Lean will teach you how to express your thoughts in a direct, candid, yet courteous manner. The author shares effective, easy-to-apply tips for having a productive conversation that helps achieve your goals.

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 (2009) gives you expert insight into which skills you need to read others and build better relationships. It breaks down the four aspects of emotional intelligence, or EQ, and gives advice on what you can do to improve your own skills.

Getting More (2010) lays out precisely how to negotiate your way toward a fuller, more satisfying life. The strategies and tools described in this book can be used in any situation, from finding a happier outcome when sparring with a partner to convincing your boss that you’re long overdue for a raise.

The 11 Laws of Likability (2011) is a guide to networking built on one simple fact: people do business with people they like. These blinks will explain how to discover your most likable characteristics, start conversations and keep them going, and make a lasting positive impression on people.

These blinks introduce the principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as a compassionate way of being with ourselves and others. Through simple techniques, you can learn how to consciously change your language and thinking to forge better quality relationships with others.

The Power of the Other (2016) shows you how the relationships in your life profoundly affect how you think, act and feel. These blinks examine why certain relationships harm us while others nurture us. Importantly, you’ll learn how to cultivate real connections that fulfill you and help you grow as a person.

Getting The Love You Want (1988) offers practical advice on how to save a failing relationship and build a stronger one. It highlights a unique therapy program that offers a step-by-step guide to helping partners address repressed childhood desires and become more compassionate individuals.

Mindsight (2010) introduces the reader to the many factors that shape the way we react to life’s challenges. Emotional responses are tied to our bodies, brains and childhood experiences. With mindsight, we can learn to manage our emotions in order to improve our relationships and well-being.

Radical Collaboration (2004) offers invaluable methods to help you build effective and high-functioning collaborative relationships, as well as strategies to manage any kind of conflict that you might run into. At the heart of these methods are five skills that can turn anyone into a better teammate and turn any organization into an efficient and productive partnership.

The Anatomy of Peace (2006) addresses an unpleasant fact: how common it is for people to resort to conflict as a way of resolving differences at home, in the workplace and in the world at large. Learn the reasons behind this mindset and how we can find a better way to move forward. There’s no reason to think things have to be the way they are today. With a little understanding, we can all choose the path of peace.

Negotiating the Nonnegotiable (2016) offers insights into a new framework that can be applied to solve stubborn conflicts in both our personal and professional lives. The blinks emphasize the importance of the “tribal mind,” while also illustrating how we actively address emotional pain and examining the role of identity in conflict resolution.

What We Say Matters (2009) is a guide to communicating with compassion, openness and honesty. These blinks explain how to connect with your needs, as well as those of others, while speaking in a way that communicates your feelings clearly without causing suffering.

Verbal Judo (1993) is your guide to effective communication, from a police officer’s perspective. These blinks explain why some common communication techniques could be holding you back and why others may be better suited to achieving your communication goals.

Neuro-linguistic Programming for Dummies (2015) is an introduction to the basic principles behind NLP. If you’ve ever struggled to say what’s on your mind, NLP may be of use to you. Discover the human traits that can keep us from understanding each other and the helpful methods that can lead to clear and effective communication.

Difficult Conversations (1999) takes a look at what makes a conversation difficult and why we often try to avoid them. It outlines how to correctly approach and maneuver through tough topics to build positive and meaningful relationships.

How to Have Impossible Conversations (2019) is a guide to having frank conversations that don’t end in tears. Philosopher Peter Boghossian and scientist James Lindsay argue that however prickly the topic, we all profit when we air our disagreements – provided we’re out to learn something, not just shout our opponents down. These blinks will explore techniques that facilitate respectful dialogue, from rules of building rapport to the art of convincing your sparring partner to reexamine her assumptions. 

Why Does He Do That? (2003) reveals the psychology behind abusive men. Drawing on his experience as a counselor to male abusers, author Lundy Bancroft explains the nature of abusive thinking, the early warning signs of abuse, and the steps women can take to free themselves from an abusive relationship.

Say What You Mean (2018) is a guide to meaningful and productive communication. It shows how you can leave old, unhelpful habits behind and develop the skills to speak your mind in a clear and authentic way. It also teaches some simple practices to make your conversations more effective and satisfying.

The Advice Trap (2020) is a practical guide to taming your inner Advice Monster. Many of us give advice compulsively because we’re insecure and want to control the situations we’re in. But that comes at the cost of alienating ourselves from other people, and stifling innovation in the workplace. Instead of jumping in with solutions, we need to cultivate a deep sense of curiosity and really learn to listen to other people.

Fourteen Talks by Age Fourteen (2020) tackles the thorny subject of communicating with tweens – those adolescents between the ages of ten and fourteen who are beginning to pull away from their parents and close down lines of communication. This is the age at which “big” topics like sexuality, money, and life choices are more important than ever. But it’s also the age at which having a conversation with your child is harder than ever before. So what can parents do? Well, it’s time to learn a new way of talking with, and not at, your tween. 

Connect (2021) lays the groundwork for exceptional relationships. Drawing on social science research and the authors’ personal experience, it shares core behaviors and actionable advice to cultivate meaningful connections – leading to personal fulfillment and professional success.

Fault Lines (2020) examines a common problem that no one talks about: family estrangements. Over a quarter of Americans experience being cut off from friends and family during their lifetimes, which has devastating psychological impacts. Fault Lines explores the common causes of estrangement and gives surprising and insightful advice on how to work towards reconciliation.

Get It (2020) is a one-stop guide to taking control of your voice so that you can successfully navigate the thorniest conversations in life. It’ll teach you how to clean up your conversational hygiene by avoiding common faux pas and show you how to present your best self to others. Once you know how to direct conversations toward outcomes you want, you’ll be sure to achieve success in love, work, and beyond.

The High-Conflict Couple (2007) is a guide to overcoming the common relationship pitfalls that lead to conflict and animosity. Drawing upon years of psychology research and therapy experience, Alan E. Fruzzetti explains where conflict comes from and how it can be reduced.

Missing Each Other (2021) is a scientifically sound exploration of human connection. This wide-ranging primer explains how to truly bond with others in our fast-paced world.

Why Marriages Succeed or Fail (1994) is an insightful guide to creating successful relationships. It describes the four red flags to look out for in your relationship, and how to repair negative patterns and rediscover what made you fall in love in the first place.

Atlas of the Heart (2021) is a guide to understanding your emotions and learning how to regulate them. Everyone experiences strong emotions, but most people can’t identify what it is they’re feeling, or work out where the feelings come from. Developing your emotional vocabulary will transform your relationship to yourself, and the people around you.

People Skills (1979) is a guidebook to learning effective communication skills. It illuminates the conversational roadblocks that impede good communication and damage relationships – and offers alternative methods for listening, asserting, and handling conflict.

Wired for Love (2012) is a guide to maintaining closeness and emotional security within romantic partnerships. It uses research from neurobiology and psychology to show why long-term couples come into conflict, and it offers practical tips on how to use knowledge about brain functions to promote peace and mutual security in your relationship.

Us (2022) is for anyone whose once-loving relationship has devolved into point-scoring and power struggles. It offers a science-based skill set, illustrated with rich and detailed examples, to help you and your partner heal your toxic individualism and your relationship. 

Powerful Phrases for Dealing with Difficult People (2013) provides practical tactics for navigating tough conversations at work. Along with over 325 phrases, it includes dozens of sample conversations that show the phrases in action.

Getting to Zero (2021) is a guide to dealing with conflict in intimate, high-stakes relationships – those with your family, good friends, and partners. It describes a process for “getting to zero” by achieving resolution and closure after conflict.

Getting Along (2022) describes the importance of workplace interactions and their effects on productivity and creativity.

Partnering (2022) looks at what it takes to develop deep connections in both business and personal relationships. Drawing from interviews with some of the world’s most legendary partnerships, including Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, Nelson Mandela and Graça Machel, and the collective which saved the ozone, these blinks are a guide through the six principles of connection which can elevate your relationships and make an impact on the world.

Humor, Seriously (2021) explores the value of a human-centered approach to business, and of the funny that can be found and created in any environment. It relies on science, psychology, and humorous anecdotes from experts in the field to show how using humor can create a culture of levity, build trust, and unlock creativity.

The Leader Lab (2021) is a handbook for anyone who wants to improve their management skills fast. Through extensive research, and training more than 200,000 managers, the authors have identified the core behaviors and skills that all great managers share. They offer simple, practical tips, and methods that can be applied for rapid results.

Making Great Relationships (2023) is a practical guide to building nourishing, healthy, communicative relationships. It shares simple strategies designed to troubleshoot conflict and break unhealthy cycles, as well as best practices for deepening and strengthening positive relationships.

Positively Energizing Leadership (2022) offers organization leaders and workers a practical guide to understanding and harnessing the power of positively energizing characteristics and interpersonal approaches. With empirical data and how-to advice, it aims to boost innovation, profits, and compassion in the workplace and at home. 

Find Your People (2022) is a Christian woman’s guide to finding, making, and keeping friends. It proposes that God wired us to be in relationships with others – that’s why we crave deep, fulfilling connections. But finding them is harder than ever in today’s hyper-connected yet hyper-lonely world. With a strong sense of commitment and the help of God, you can find your people and keep them too.

Conversations Worth Having (2018) looks at the power of conversation in our lives and what we can do to communicate more productively at work, in our relationships, and in the community. Drawing on real-life stories and scientifically based theories, it illustrates how we can improve organizations and lives using the principle of Appreciative Inquiry – effective conversation through positive perspective and asking the right questions.

Win Every Argument (2023) is a guide to the art of argument by one of the world’s most combative debaters: journalist, anchor, and writer Mehdi Hasan. Drawing on ancient theories of persuasion, neuroscientific theories of cognition, and the rhetorical tricks of contemporary politicians, Hasan reveals the secrets to winning arguments in today’s post-factual world.

Surrounded By Narcissists (2022) is a guide to recognizing narcissists and understanding how they operate. Erikson suggests simple, effective methods for dealing with any narcissists you know, whether it’s your partner, a relative, someone you work with, or possibly all three – you may be surrounded.

Facilitating Breakthrough (2021) dives into how people can go about solving their most intractable problems. By using an approach honed over decades, you can learn how to remove obstacles from conflicts and make progress toward resolution.

I Don’t Agree (2020) is a practical guide to improving your conflict resolution skills. Disagreement is seen as bad, and even scary. But, actually, conflict can be a powerful engine for growth if you know how to deal with it effectively. I Don’t Agree provides ten practical strategies that will help you become an expert in dealing with conflict in all areas of your life.

Jerks at Work (2022) provides a handbook for how to deal with difficult people at work. Identifying seven types of jerks, it informs you about what kind of behaviors to look out for and how to deal with them in a pragmatic, positive way.

Forgive (2022) proposes personal and community healing through genuine, wholesome, and compassionate forgiveness. The arguments in this guide will help you understand why Christian forgiveness could be secular society’s best remedy for relieving the offended, reforming the offenders, and promoting fellowship among humans.

Can We Talk? (2021) outlines the seven communication principles essential for successfully navigating difficult conversations in the workplace, be it asking for a promotion, delivering negative feedback, or resolving a professional conflict.

Good Arguments (2022) is one part memoir, one part guide to the art of speaking. It introduces us to the thrilling and eccentric subculture of competitive debate and distills its secrets into timeless principles for effective communication. If we can only learn to disagree better, it argues, we can improve our relationships and revitalize our democracies.

The Five Core Conversations for Couples (2020) examines the five important topics every couple should talk about. It offers expert guidance on the core facets of a relationship that can help you strengthen yours. 

The Overthinking In Relationships Fix (2020) is a guide to getting rid of toxic overthinking patterns that put your romantic relationships on the verge of a breakup. It offers advice and easy-to-do techniques to release your worrying thoughts and strengthen your bond with your partner.

Marriage Be Hard (2022) offers advice on how to effectively communicate important topics with your partner. Chronicling the ups and downs of the authors’ own marriage, it shows how to form loving, lasting relationships.

Talk To Me Like I’m Someone You Love (1993) is a relationship repair tool that coaches couples on how to speak to each other more genuinely.

The Argument Hangover (2021) is your guide to constructively fighting with a romantic partner so that you both learn from the conflict and emerge from it even stronger. Through clear communication, you’ll be surprised to find how disagreements can suddenly become opportunities for growth.

We Over Me (2023) is the story of the podcasting-and-influencing power couple Devale and Khadeen Ellis – in their own words. With trademark disarming honesty, the Ellises lay bare the struggles and successes that have shaped them as a couple, and share the strategies that allow them to thrive as a partnership. 

Power vs. Force (2014) explains how anyone can tap into their inner power to change their lives and the lives of those around them. It demonstrates that with consciousness, intention and discernment, anyone can find their truth and follow it toward a more fulfilled and impactful life. 

Love & Respect (2012) uses biblical scripture, the author’s experience as a marriage counselor, and insight from other relationship therapists to help couples connect. By following the principles it lays out, husbands and wives learn to show each other the kind of love and respect they both crave. In the process, conflicts get resolved and marriages become energized.

The Emotional Lives of Teenagers (2023) is a best-selling guide to navigating the highs and lows of parenting your child through adolescence. It dispenses honest, practical, research-informed advice aimed at helping parents understand, support, and connect with their teens in a way that honors the huge transition they’re experiencing.

Love More Fight Less provides straightforward directions on how to develop communication skills that will help you and your partner handle conflict. Various activities let you practice the skills, and this Blink details how to use these communication techniques in real-life situations.

The Explosive Child (2021) is a groundbreaking and scientific guide to dealing with children who react extremely to routine situations. Drawing on neuroscience and child psychology, Greene lays out a conceptual framework focused on the cause of the behavior, rather than the behavior itself. This framework can serve as a guide for frustrated parents who want to understand and address their child’s severe outbursts.

Fierce Conversations (2002) is a practical guide to having authentic, powerful conversations that can change the trajectory of your life. It uses anecdotes, practical techniques, and assignments to illustrate how conversations are the cornerstone of relationships.

Own Your Armor (2022) offers an innovative approach to fixing dysfunctional workplace culture. It outlines the ten principles of the Own Your Armor method that teams can use to foster better communication, improve productivity, and create a healthier, more positive work environment.

Emotional Intelligence Habits (2023) is a comprehensive guide to cultivating the emotional intelligence (EQ) skills essential to both personal and professional success. It covers 35 habits that underpin the highest EQ scores and offers practical exercises to get you on your way today. 

The Couple’s Guide to Thriving with ADHD (2014) delves into the challenges many couples face when one or both partners have undiagnosed adult ADHD. An essential guide for couples seeking to strengthen their bond and navigate the complexities of ADHD in their relationships, it emphasizes the importance of understanding ADHD symptoms and offers strategies to enhance communication, trust, and intimacy.