Spirited Leadership and Conflict Transformation: A Paradigm Shift in Kinesiology

Conflicts are human nature and a function of life in kinesiology. The complexity of culture and the heightened emotions of human nature during conflicts makes managing them an arduous task for kinesiology leaders. Nonetheless, managing conflicts is the challenging adventure they must embrace. This article presents some sources of conflict, conflict-management styles, theoretical perspectives for understanding the nature of conflicts, and guiding principles for managing conflicts. Although it critiques different leadership paradigms by which conflicts may be managed, it endorses and illustrates practices and benefits of spirited leadership and implores kinesiology leaders to embrace spirited leadership as a way of shifting from a paradigm of conflict resolution to one of conflict transformation.