Dr. No #41 - The Hidden Skill That Turns Conflict Into Power

Hey lawyer,

Conflict isn't the problem.

Avoiding it is.

Every legal team has friction — with the business, between colleagues, or inside your own head. And most people manage it the same way: quietly ignore it, politely dodge it, and hope it goes away.

But you're not most people.

Here's how to turn conflict into a leadership advantage.

1. Food for Thought

What tough conversation are you avoiding — that, if handled well, could change everything?

Is it tension with a team member?

A stakeholder who keeps bypassing Legal?

A difficult decision you keep postponing?

The cost of avoidance compounds. The cure is almost always clarity.

2. Book Insight — Crucial Conversations by Kerry Patterson, bestselling author

When stakes are high and emotions run hot, most people either go silent or aggressive. Neither helps.

Crucial Conversations teaches a third path: control the tone, raise the stakes, and create safety for real talk.

3 tactics every GC should master:

• Start with facts. Don’t lead with stories or blame. State the data. “In the last 4 months, Legal has only been looped in after vendor selection in 9 out of 12 cases.”

• Make it safe. Signal shared purpose: “We both want to reduce delays and protect the business. Let's figure out how.”

• Master your story. Your brain will make up a villain narrative fast. Pause. Ask: “What else could be true?”

Lawyers trained to argue. GCs trained to listen, redirect, and elevate.

That’s your edge.

3. Mental Model – Munger’s Incentive Superpower

“Show me the incentive, and I will show you the outcome.” – Charlie Munger

If someone keeps resisting your advice, start here:

• What are they rewarded for?

• What do they fear losing?

• What success metric are they chasing that you’re not accounting for?

When you align incentives, conflict becomes collaboration.

4. AI Tool – Pretty Prompt

Most lawyers get bad answers from AI because they ask bad questions.

Pretty Prompt is like Grammarly, but for ChatGPT. It helps you write smarter prompts that deliver better answers.

Turn:
“Help me write a contract policy”
Into:
“Write a clear, 1-page supplier contract policy aligned with ESG standards for an EU-listed company under CSRD.”

Better inputs. Better legal outcomes.

5. Quote to Reflect

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.”
— Mahatma Gandhi

P.S. Want a conflict-ready team without adding headcount?

That’s why we built Ambar.
The world’s go-to platform for elite lawyers on demand.

Bring in sharp, independent lawyers when:

• You face internal tension and need a clean outside voice

• Projects need fresh energy, speed or expertise

• You want external help without internal politics

• Internal investigations require discretion and distance

• Your team is great — but overstretched or burned out

No overhead. No drama. Just business-savvy legal muscle.

Let’s talk – Link to find out how GCs like you are using Ambar.

Until next week,
Dr. No