Dr. George Kohlrieser, an international leadership professor, consultant, veteran hostage negotiator and author of Hostage At The Table: How Leaders Can Overcome Conflict, Influence Others, and Raise Performance. Conflict is a part of everyday behavior that stems from a basic fight-or-flight instinct. Often seen as something that must be avoided at all costs, this tendency to suppress conflict can spark negative emotions that eventually derail leaders and organizations. George insists that only by facing conflict can we truly progress through the most difficult business challenges. He shares proven techniques and psychological insights used in hostage negotiation that can be applied successfully to any personal or business relationship. On this episode of Leading Conversations with Cheryl Esposito George outlines seven key factors to remove blocks that stand in the way of resolving tough problems and shows how business leaders can develop the skills they need to create trust and a positive mind-set in their companies. Join the conversation!