Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Hang Tough: Composure Can Curb Conflict

By André van Heerden, Communications Director

Hanging on the wall of my father’s work room is the poem If by Rudyard Kipling. The opening lines have always stuck with me. Just saying: “If you can keep your head, when all about you are losing theirs,” has been a source of comfort and inspiration to me.

There are many things that are lauded in today’s society through entertainment, books, and the media. Innovation, brashness, wealth, beauty and athletic prowess are all celebrated but rarely the ability to keep cool under fire and to treat others civilly.

Author and civil servant, Leonard Woolf wrote, “Anyone can be a barbarian; it requires a terrible effort to remain a civilized man.”

One of the things that has most impressed me about CLAC’s approach to labour relations is the focus on that very thing: keeping your head and treating others civilly. I know that it is easy to get upset and to yell and vent; it is difficult to stay composed and collected.

The situations that our reps find themselves in are almost always driven by conflict, populated with strong opinions and wills, and often have far-reaching consequences. Yet despite the pressure coming from many sides, they are able to hang tough. Is it because they are generally level-headed people? Not always. I know several of them personally, and they can be passionate about many things. In labour relations, however, they are able to keep the larger goal of collaborative win-win solutions in mind. They also know to listen carefully before jumping in to speak.

Celebrated author Charles Dickens noted that “A word in earnest is as good as a speech.” And author and poet Martin Farquhar Tupper noted, “Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.”

As I’ve been impressed with the reps’ ability to keep calm and remain firm yet thoughtful, I’ve tried to emulate that in my interactions as well. Whether at work, at home, or coaching on the sidelines, it’s effective. By listening intentionally and focusing on broader common goals, people can reduce conflict, build stronger relationships, and foster greater understanding.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of “hang tough” is “to remain resolute in the face of adversity.” Later lines in Kipling’s poem echo this:

“If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’”

If you can keep your head, the effort to persevere is worth it.

Hang Tough: Composure Can Curb Conflict

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