In continuation of the Jagjeevan Doses, I want to share a lesson that became even more meaningful after a recent conversation.

Ironically, I was asked a simple leadership question that I couldn’t answer as well as I wanted.

“Suppose you strongly believe you have the right solution. You have supporting data, clear reasoning, and good intentions. Yet a critical stakeholder still insists on taking a different path that they like. What would you do?”

For a moment, I paused.

I have written an entire chapter on conflict resolution in my book 📕 Jagjeevan – Living Larger Than Life, yet I struggled to articulate the answer.

That experience reminded me of something important.

• Writing about values is one thing.
• Living them every day is another.

The lessons in Jagjeevan are not rules to memorize. They are practices to cultivate throughout life. Sometimes we realize we have been following them instinctively without consciously recognizing them.

After reflecting on that conversation, I realized that many situations in my career had already been guided by the same principles that Jagjeevan taught. I simply hadn’t connected them at that moment.

Here are a few of those lessons.

Conflict is natural. Don’t be afraid of it.

One of Jagjeevan’s greatest teachings was that conflict is not the enemy.

• People are different.
• Different experiences.
• Different upbringing.
• Different fears.
• Different responsibilities.
• Different incentives.

How can we expect everyone to see the same solution?

Today we understand this very well when working with AI. Two AI models trained on different datasets often produce different answers to the same question. Humans are no different. Our experiences become our training data.

Before trying to resolve a conflict, first understand why it exists. Very often, the disagreement is not about the solution—it is about perspective.

There is rarely only one right answer

As engineers, consultants, or leaders, we often become attached to our own solutions. We begin to believe that because our approach worked before, it is the best approach.

• Experience is valuable. But experience can also become bias.
• Every complex problem has multiple possible solutions.
• Someone else’s approach may solve the same problem differently—or even better.

Conflict reduces when curiosity replaces certainty. So instead of asking,

“Why don’t they understand?”

Ask,

“What do they see that I don’t?”

That simple shift changes the entire conversation.

Communicate to understand, not to win

Many conflicts continue because both people are trying to convince. Very few are trying to understand.

Jagjeevan often asked a simple question:

“Which side are you on?”

The answer was always the same.

We are on the side of the problem—not against each other.

When two people genuinely want to solve the same problem, they stop debating positions and begin exploring possibilities.

The goal is not to win the argument. The goal is to solve the problem together.

Every position has an emotion behind it

In organizations, disagreements are rarely only technical. Behind many conflicts lie invisible concerns.

• Fear of failure
• Fear of losing credibility
• Fear of change
• Past experiences
• Responsibility toward customers
• Organizational politics
• Personal insecurity

If we only address the proposal, we may never resolve the conflict.

Great leaders listen not only to what people say, but also to what they worry about. When people feel heard, they become far more willing to listen.

Build decisions together

One lesson I have learned repeatedly throughout my career is that people rarely resist decisions they helped create.

Instead of presenting a finished solution, invite others into the thinking process.

• Ask questions.
• Seek objections early.
• Incorporate ideas.
• A shared decision creates shared ownership.

Leadership is not about proving that your idea is right. It is about creating enough trust that the best idea can emerge.

Stay flexible

Sometimes the best decision today may not remain the best decision tomorrow. That is perfectly acceptable.

Instead of defending decisions forever, define how they will be evaluated.

• What will success look like?
• What signals would tell us we need to change course?
• When should we revisit the decision?

Good leaders are not rigid. They are confident enough to change direction when new evidence appears.

Flexibility is not weakness. It is maturity.

My reflection

Looking back, I realized something interesting.

• I don’t think I have avoided conflicts throughout my career.
• I simply learned, often unconsciously did not see them as conflict, to approach them differently.
• I may have tried to understand before convincing.
• I may have tried to build trust before pushing ideas.
• I may have tried to focus on solving problems rather than proving myself right.

Perhaps that is why I may have struggled to answer this simple question.

The principles had become habits, and habits are sometimes harder to explain than theories.

That discussion reminded me that leadership is a continuous practice. Every difficult conversation is another opportunity to become a better conflict resolver.

That, to me, is the true spirit of Jagjeevan.

The strongest people are not those who win every argument. They are the ones who leave every disagreement with greater wisdom, deeper trust, and stronger relationships.

About the Jagjeevan

📕 Jagjeevan: Living Larger Than Life is a heartfelt tribute to the extraordinary life and timeless wisdom of Shri Jagguram—an enlightened soul whose values shaped generations. Blending personal memories with profound life lessons, it captures the essence of a man who lived with humility, discipline, compassion, and unwavering purpose.

Through ten insightful chapters, the book explores heritage, resilience, responsibility, inner strength, family unity, conflict resolution, gratitude, and the power of one’s actions.

This inspiring narrative is more than a biography—it is a practical guide for anyone seeking a meaningful, value-driven life. Jagjeevan invites readers to rediscover the greatness hidden in simplicity and to live larger than life through everyday choices.

☞ About the book ☞ Amazon English Edition ☞ Amazon Hindi Edition

You can find my other books here.

Wish you Jagjeevan!

Be the conflict resolver.

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