and what it means for you in conflict Introversion and extroversion aren’t just personality traits — there’s a fundamental difference in our physiology that leads to these different responses to social interaction. They also influence how we show up in and deal with conflict. Recently, I did a webinar with…

I learned this in a Starbucks of all places. — By now, there is no shortage of information on how damaging workplaces can be to a person’s mental health. A 2010 study estimated that 500,000 Canadians miss work each week due to mental illness. The financial cost from lost productivity is staggering and expected to climb to $2.5 …

Lessons on conflict resolution from watching Netflix — There are people out there in the world that seem to be completely set on making other people’s lives miserable. They just know how to get under their skin. Or maybe they don’t know what they’re doing, lack self awareness, or have a hard time managing high expectations and disappointment. …

Simple. Don’t avoid your conflicts. — Our lives are built one conversation at a time. — Daniel Stillman I talk a lot about conflict being constructive, or trying to make conflict constructive but I realized something the other day. It can actually be enjoyable. No seriously. And more than that, it can dramatically improve your relationship…

Right in the middle of a DEI workshop — why is it so hard for us to stop centering ourselves? Earlier this week, I was in a workshop on power, privilege, and prejudice. It was informative, but what I left with wasn’t in the slide deck or the presenters’ content. It was in the reactions of the participants. The middle-aged, white male participants. There were two men in particular that…

I was so close to becoming the kind of person I can’t stand… “The average person online is both arrogant and defensive as a matter of natural reflex.” — Drew Magary, published in Forge There’s a reason I don’t spend a lot of time on Twitter. It seems to have…

Avoidance is a common response to dealing with conflict. It makes sense really, it’s the brain’s way of keeping us safe. Conflict sets off our stress response system (you’ve probably heard of this as fight, flight, freeze, or please), which has major implications for how we proceed in the situation…

Mediation is a facilitated negotiation and first step in conflict resolution typically recommended before further litigation. The mediator plays an important role in helping the parties understand each other’s interests and helps them generate options to come to an agreement on how to move forward. First off, let me acknowledge…

You already know not to argue when you’re hungry, right? Some conversations are more difficult than others, and there are generally six reasons this is the case. Understanding where your challenges lie is a helpful first step in making the conversation easier. …