Become a Samurai of Conflict Communication

All Contact Professionals training/needing to be experts in conflict communication (aka: de-escalation) should immediately notice the validity of all these 6 points (attributed to Morihei Ueshiba). If you don’t, then you’re likely only familiar with less-than-complete, check-the-box type trainings that attempt to boil things down to a few simplistic techniques. Conflict communication has its own well-developed philosophy. There is no simple technique that enables us … Continue reading Become a Samurai of Conflict Communication

Respect at all Times

Hi All, Contact Professionals familiar with the teachings of Verbal Judo should immediately reflect on George Thompson’s great teaching on this point and the difference between respect and RE-spect. If you’re not familiar with it, go here for a perennial classic. If you actually follow the discipline of Verbal Judo, then you know that there are, literally, no times in life when you’re not showing … Continue reading Respect at all Times

A Downstream Addiction is keeping America’s Active Assailant/Shooter Phenomenon Untouched

Americans are traumatized by the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. As we should be. Take a look at Tess Mata. She is one of the victims of this tragedy. Take a good look at her. Note the innocence shining through her sweet smile. Sit with her in your imagination. Now ask yourself, “What can I do to help?” I propose for your consideration that … Continue reading A Downstream Addiction is keeping America’s Active Assailant/Shooter Phenomenon Untouched

REspect All Persons…Always

Dr. George Thompson, creator of Verbal Judo, identified (and gave a name to) just this practice of professionally given “REspect” (his unique spelling) to distinguish it from the commonly known form of earned “respect.” This is one of the many tools, tactics, practices, and strategies that he contributed to the world of Conflict Communication. His pioneering work forms the foundation of many Conflict Communication programs … Continue reading REspect All Persons…Always

De-Escalate This Person First

See this valuable article over at Police1. The points therein are all fundamental to all high-quality Conflict Communication training. So often overlooked in Conflict Communication training is the fact that the most important person to keep non-escalated, and to de-escalate as necessary, is oneself. All success sits on this fact. Leaders, pay attention to this. If you have on your force an Officer Schitzstorm (thank … Continue reading De-Escalate This Person First

How not to Represent an Organization (Hint: It’s not about you)

Hi All, Please read this article over at Police1. It’s about a young man who felt he needed to express himself on TikTok. It’s important to note that this gentleman was disciplined because of what he did. He could have kept his perceptions and intentions to himself. The moment he acted on them, however, by posting them on social media it became an issue for … Continue reading How not to Represent an Organization (Hint: It’s not about you)

How & Why to Be UnTriggerable in Conflict

  Hi All, We’ve all been there.  Someone with whom we’re dealing gives us a look, calls us an asshole, or simply walks away in a disrespectful manner while we’re talking to them. Or some variation of dismissive, insultive, disrespectful behavior.  As a Contact Professional (e.g., Law Enforcement, Security, Parking Enforcement, etc.), it is our duty to maintain our professional behavior despite provocations from others.  … Continue reading How & Why to Be UnTriggerable in Conflict

Creating a Non-Escalatory/Safe Culture is far more than simply using a “Technique”

Hi All, Please see this valuable article about violence in healthcare.  It’s a useful article in that it highlights the growing violence which healthcare professionals must face every day.  Healthcare in the present era is not the healthcare of our parents and grandparents.  Most nurses today experience levels of anxiety and aggression in patients and visitors that simply did not exist years ago to the … Continue reading Creating a Non-Escalatory/Safe Culture is far more than simply using a “Technique”

The Last Word

  Hi All, Please see this brief article targeted at a leadership audience.  As the author of that article makes clear, getting the last word when involved in a verbal retort with someone is an ego-boost.  The ego, in its drive to be correct, wants the last word, and we often find ourselves doing whatever it takes to get it. For Law Enforcement, Public Safety, … Continue reading The Last Word

A Baseline Strategy for all De-Escalation

Hi All, For the Contact Professional, it is vital that s/he gets and maintains rapport with others, all the while remaining physically safe. How do you get a rapport with others, particularly those in crisis? Two things constitute a fundamental baseline and are the very foundation of any non-escalatory and de-escalatory efforts.  With these two things in place, non-escalation and de-escalation efforts will have the … Continue reading A Baseline Strategy for all De-Escalation