When someone is steadfastly committed to their position in an argument, the best we can do sometimes is create just a tiny bit of wiggle room in their thinking, enough to soften their position and give the conversation somewhere to go. Here’s one way to d

Its hard to stand in someone elses shoes when were in the middle of a conflict with them, even when we know that understanding their perspective is important. Heres a trick of the mind that makes perspective-taking easier.Episode transcriptThe Zen

Conflict and suffering are bedfellows. When were trying to help others in conflict, whether as mediators, leaders, or family members, we can help them better if we can turn toward their suffering instead of withdrawing from it.Episode transcriptAn arti

Most of us sit down together to sort out tension and conflict. We meet over coffee, or gather at the conference table, or sit down for a family meeting. We might well benefit more from walking conflict resolution than sitting, and here’s the science to ex

My conflict work used to center squarely on helping people have the conversations that resolve conflict. As my work has shifted over the last decade to being more about helping people approach conflict in ways that don’t require my presence to be successf

When faced with a problem, we often ask ourselves or others, What should we do? Its not a bad question at all, but research suggests a better question for prompting more creative solutions.Episode transcriptThe 2018 researchSource of the restaurant

Sure, its good to pick your fights. Life is short, after all. But that doesnt mean you should avoid the small fights as a matter of course. The small fights are the places you get better managing your own or others conflicts, preparing you for more dif

When conflict kindles unwelcome emotions, we want relief. Theres a well-researched emotion regulation technique that reliably dampens the effect of unwelcome emotions, and all we need to remember is one simple question.Episode transcriptThe 2007 resea

When we try to talk out a problem with someone, and conversation hasnt yielded the results we hoped, we may find ourselves withdrawing from them. But as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai reminds us, theres often a better choice.Episode trans

Confronting is an essential conflict resolution and supervisory skill, yet it can feel risky and uncomfortable. We dont want to seem confrontational or aggressive, and we do want to feel confident that confronting might make a difference. Heres a mediat