May 2017 Dinner Meeting - 2 PDUs Leadership

Leadership and Conflict 2017 - Dr. Brian Polding

Conflict in organizations arises from a variety of factors including organizational restructuring and change, a globally diverse workforce, high pace multi-channel communication, the use of cross-functional teams, and differences in personality and leadership style. Effective organizations are ones in which leaders are pro-active in creating a workplace that minimizes negative aspects of conflict, while harnessing employee differences and organizational factors to manage conflict in a positive way. Attendees will learn to:

• Understand the potential causes of organizational conflict and create a strategy for addressing these factors.
• Determine their own preferred style to managing conflict, and understand how to match styles of conflict resolution to different types of conflict.
• Identify their personal orientation to leadership and develop the knowledge to change leadership approach and style depending upon situational factors.
• Create a motivating organizational climate.

Dr. Brian Polding has served as Campus College Chair for the School of Business and the College of Information Systems & Technology at the University of Phoenix North Florida Campus since 2000. He teaches undergraduate and master’s courses in leadership, organizational development, change management, conflict resolution, adult education and ethics. He serves as an Associate Faculty member in the School for Advanced studies teaching doctoral courses in management and research methods and has chaired or served on over sixty dissertation committees. His previous experience includes serving as Organizational Development Manager for the Convergys Corporation, Director of Adult Degree Programs at Jacksonville University, Director of Judicial Affairs at the University of South Carolina, Assistant Dean of Students at the University of New Mexico, Research Associate for the University of Florida Institute of Higher Education and Assistant Director of the Leadership Resource Center at the University of Florida.  Dr. Polding earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and an MA in Philosophy from the University of Florida, and an MA in Student Personnel Counseling and BA in Philosophy from Slippery Rock University of PA.