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Conflict. It’s one of those things every small business owner deals with—but few know how to handle well. In this episode of The KeyHire Small Business Podcast, host Corey Harlock sits down with Yvette Durazo, workplace strategist, international speaker, and author of In the Heels of a Smart Negotiator. Yvette has spent more than 14 years helping leaders and teams transform conflict from a source of tension into a driver of collaboration and innovation.
If you’ve ever thought, “I love running my business—if it weren’t for the people,” this conversation is for you. Yvette introduces her methodology of Conflict Intelligence (Conflict IQ)—a human-centered approach that goes beyond standard conflict resolution. Instead of treating conflict as a problem to be avoided, Conflict IQ helps leaders recognize it as a natural part of growth and team dynamics.
Yvette and Corey dive into why most organizations are still uncomfortable addressing conflict, how punitive HR systems often make things worse, and why emotional intelligence is the foundation for any healthy culture. Yvette breaks down how conflict management ranks among the top 15 most important skills in today’s workplace—right up there with artificial intelligence. Her insights remind us that emotional regulation, empathy, and self-awareness aren’t “soft skills”—they’re business essentials.
From her experiences working with small businesses to training executives worldwide, Yvette explains how behavior modification, active listening, and self-awareness create the foundation for “meta-skills”—the ability to adapt your communication and leadership style to any situation. You’ll also hear her powerful story of a business owner who grew his company threefold not by adding more people, but by involving his employees in the process and listening to their ideas.
Whether you’re managing a small team or leading a growing company, this episode is packed with practical takeaways on how to:
As Corey puts it, “When you have people, you have conflict—but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.” If you want to transform friction into forward motion, this episode will give you a roadmap to start doing exactly that.
Listen now, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who’s ready to lead their team with more confidence, clarity, and compassion.
Connect with the Experts
Learn More about Yvette: https://unitiveconsulting.com/en
Read In the High Heels of a Smart Negotiator: https://a.co/d/4aYjC7J
Be KeyHire's Next Success Story: https://bit.ly/KHSuccess
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