About Conflict EQ
Conflict EQ™ helps leaders and teams turn moments of tension into opportunities for clarity, collaboration, and connection.
Conflict isn’t the problem — how leaders show up in tension is.
When pressure arises, people don’t need quick fixes or scripts; they need steadiness, clarity, and the capacity to engage disagreement without avoidance or escalation. That’s what Conflict EQ is designed to strengthen.
Conflict EQ is a leadership capacity that helps individuals and teams engage disagreement without avoidance, escalation, or damage to trust.
Why We Exist
Too often, conflict is treated as something to avoid, suppress, or outsource — a problem in need of fixing. That approach creates silence, resentment, stalled decisions, and emotional exhaustion.
Real leadership isn’t tested in calm conditions; it’s tested in tension.
Conflict EQ exists to build the human capacity most leadership development overlooks — how leaders show up when emotions are real and stakes are personal.
Our work helps teams and leaders:
Stay grounded when pressure rises
Engage difficult conversations constructively
Build trust and candid communication over time
Strengthen collaboration without avoiding or suppressing disagreement
What We Do
Conflict EQ is a leadership capacity and a distinct focus within leadership development, centered on how leaders engage tension and disagreement.
We partner with organizations that want leaders to respond to tension with confidence, not discomfort; with clarity, not confusion; with connection, not withdrawal.
Meet The Founders
Dr. Irvine Nugent, PCC, CSP
Irvine is a leadership and conflict expert who helps leaders turn tension into connection. Drawing on lived experience from Northern Ireland, deep expertise in emotional intelligence, and senior leadership roles, he empowers individuals and teams to navigate conflict constructively and lead with clarity, resilience, and impact.
Trista Schoonmaker, M.Ed., PCC
Trista is a leadership coach and facilitator who helps leaders address tension with clarity and courage. A certified coach and mediator, she brings high-energy facilitation and lived experience to help individuals and teams build confidence, shift mindsets, and navigate conflict with greater resilience and impact.
Meet Our Team
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![Monica Thakrar, PCC]()
Monica Thakrar, PCC
Monica is a leadership and change expert who helps leaders guide organizations through transformation with clarity and confidence. With 18+ years of experience in strategy, change management, and executive coaching, she brings an intuitive yet practical approach that builds high-performing teams.
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![Carol Robert, MCC]()
Carol Robert, MCC
Carol is a leadership coach and organizational culture strategist who helps leaders build self-awareness, navigate change, and turn insight into action. With 25+ years of executive experience, she brings a practical, grounded approach that strengthens collaboration, resilience, and sustainable performance.
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![Tilghman Payne]()
Tilghman Payne, ACC
Tilghman is a retired U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and executive coach who develops the next generation of leaders. With 30+ years commanding complex organizations, he brings real-world leadership experience to mentoring, strategic thinking, and leading change with confidence and integrity.
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![Susan Seber, PCC]()
Susan Seber, PCC
Susan is an executive coach, facilitator, and leadership strategist who helps leaders lead with purpose and impact. With deep global experience and a practical, human-centered approach, she supports individuals and teams in building resilience, clarity, and high performance through meaningful change.
Our Commitment
We don’t just teach theory — we help leaders build the capacity to use tension as information, not threat.
Conflict won’t disappear, but its potential for damage can be reduced.
What emerges instead is clearer communication, stronger trust, and a more resilient leadership culture.