"Most people know what to say.
The hard part is knowing how to say it."
Practical articles on the conversations that shape your career, your relationships, and your confidence. Written by someone who spent 30 years learning to get them right.
No theory. No jargon. Every article gives you frameworks you can use today, at work, at home, and in every relationship that matters.
15 min audio Blind spots in a negotiation rarely announce themselves. They show up as stubbornness, stalled talks, or a deal that quietly dies. This article helps you identify the internal patterns that create conflict before the damage becomes impossible to repair.
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16 min audio Recurring conflict is not a sign of failure. It is a signal that the original resolution never reached the root. This article gives you a clear, numbered process for diagnosing why conflict returns and closing it in a way that actually holds.
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16 min audio Resolving conflict too quickly in a negotiation can lock you into a worse outcome than if you had let the tension breathe. This article identifies the warning signs that premature resolution is costing you leverage, and shows you what to do before you settle.
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18 min audio When negotiation conflict spills into public view, the rules change completely. This article gives you a clear, ordered process for containing the damage, re-establishing trust, and returning both sides to a table where real resolution is still possible.
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15 min audio When negotiation conflict erupts, your brain undergoes a rapid physiological shift that undermines your ability to think clearly and respond well. Understanding what happens inside your head during these moments gives you a practical edge most negotiators never develop.
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15 min audio When both sides disagree on how to resolve a conflict, the process itself becomes the battleground. This article gives you a clear, numbered method to negotiate the resolution process before tackling the underlying dispute, so real progress becomes possible.
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13 min audio Chronic conflict patterns between organizations create an invisible weight that distorts every individual negotiation before it begins. This article explains the mechanism behind that contamination, what it looks like in practice, and how negotiators can recognize and counter its influence.
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17 min audio When a negotiation turns contentious, your memory becomes your worst witness. This article gives you a practical, step-by-step system for documenting conflict during negotiations, so you have a clear, credible record when disputes resurface weeks or months later.
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18 min audio A private caucus is a deliberate pause that separates parties in a live negotiation so emotions can settle and thinking can resume. This article explains exactly when to call one, how to run it, and what to say when you bring everyone back to the table.
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16 min audio Negotiating with someone you are in personal conflict with is harder than any standard negotiation. This article gives you a clear, ordered process for separating the relationship tension from the real issue, so you can reach a workable agreement without making things worse.
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16 min audio Internal conflict on a negotiating team is one of the most damaging forces in any deal. This article gives you a clear, step-by-step process for detecting disagreement early, resolving it privately, and presenting a unified front when it matters most.
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16 min audio Some conflicts in negotiation signal genuine incompatibility, not just friction. This article helps you identify which disputes are worth working through and which ones will drain your time, damage your position, and lead nowhere productive. Learn the signs before they cost you.
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15 min audio When the other party refuses to acknowledge a conflict exists, standard resolution tools fail before they begin. This article gives you a clear, tested process for naming what is happening, creating the conditions for engagement, and moving toward resolution without waiting for permission.
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16 min audio When you have less power in a conflict, staying silent feels safe but costs you everything. This article gives you a clear, step-by-step process for negotiating conflict from a weaker position, without aggression, without surrender, and without burning the relationship.
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22 min audio A genuine apology in negotiation conflict requires three specific elements: acknowledging what you did, recognising the impact it had, and committing to a specific change. These scripts give you the exact words to deliver each element with clarity and confidence.
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18 min audio When conflict in a negotiation turns deceptive, most people freeze or capitulate. This article gives you six ready-to-use scripts drawn from Chapter 11 of Say It Right Every Time to name manipulation clearly, counter gaslighting directly, and stay grounded without losing the relationship.
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14 min audio Avoiding conflict in negotiation feels safe but creates hidden costs that compound over time. This article examines the psychology beneath avoidance, the damage it does to deals and relationships, and the practical steps that help you engage conflict with confidence and clarity.
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20 min audio When conflict in a negotiation triggers explosive anger, most people freeze or fight back. This article gives you word-for-word scripts drawn from Chapter 11 of Say It Right Every Time to help you stay grounded, redirect the conversation, and protect the outcome you came for.
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17 min audio The D.E.A.L. Method is a four-step conflict resolution structure designed for high-stakes negotiations. This article explains each step in full, shows the method in use, and gives you a practical system for turning charged disputes into productive, lasting agreements.
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16 min audio Conflict reframing is the skill that separates negotiators who break deadlocks from those who walk away empty-handed. This article gives you seven practical techniques to shift perspective, restore movement, and reach agreements that neither side thought possible when the conversation stalled.
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17 min audio Most negotiations break down not because the issues are too hard, but because people confuse two different kinds of conflict. This article explains how to tell relationship conflict apart from substantive conflict and gives you a clear process to address each one correctly.
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13 min audio Business negotiations collapse not from bad deals but from unmanaged conflict. This article walks through five realistic scenarios showing exactly how interpersonal tension, unspoken grievances, and positional fights derail negotiations, and what the patterns reveal about protecting your next deal.
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16 min audio Conflict escalation and conflict containment are two distinct negotiation strategies, not personality traits. This article defines both, compares them across key dimensions, and gives practitioners clear guidance on which approach to apply and when.
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12 min audio Conflict in negotiation is not a breakdown. It is a signal that both sides care about the outcome. This article explains what negotiation conflict really means, why it creates strategic advantages, and how to use it with intention rather than fear it.
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