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?? Highlights from Yale Divinity School Last week, our founder and Chief Conflict Officer, Ryan Dunlap, had the honor of speaking at the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale. His talk, “Intrapersonal Conflict Management: Loving Leadership in Beloved Communities,” invited faith leaders to reflect on how unresolved internal struggles—including the spiritual battle with sin and self—can create challenges for those in their care. Drawing on biblical principles and leadership insights, Ryan emphasized that true loving leadership begins with confronting the conflicts within us. Only by addressing our own spiritual and emotional struggles can we effectively lead others through theirs. A heartfelt thank you to Brandon Nappi, D.Min., M.Div. for the invitation to share this vital message. We look forward to returning in February for an extended course to dive even deeper into these principles of faith and leadership. Here’s to leaders who seek transformation within so they can inspire transformation around them. ??

??? Recap from Ohio University! This week, our founder and Chief Conflict Officer, Ryan Dunlap, had the privilege of traveling to Ohio University to deliver a powerful talk titled “How to Deliver an Ideal Message in Less Than Ideal Circumstances.” The session unpacked the importance of not just what we say and the context in which we say it, but also the character of the messenger. Ryan challenged attendees to consider how their authenticity and personal values shape the way they navigate challenging conversations, especially in high-pressure or misunderstood circumstances. A special thank you to Acie Clayborne and the Ohio Men of Excellence for the incredible opportunity to engage with your students. Your commitment to fostering growth and excellence is inspiring, and it was an honor to contribute to that mission. Here’s to continuing the work of delivering messages that leave an impact—no matter the circumstances! ??

Something interesting happened a few years into my journey as a conflict strategist; I realized that most people don't actually need conflict management help. That is to say, most people already know how to resolve conflict: ? They knew that they should speak low and slow without screaming to solve problems. ? They knew that, during conflict, they should listen well and allow others to feel heard. ? They knew that empathy and compassion ultimately go further than aggression The problem that I observed was that people knew what to do, they just didn't know how to do it while they were emotional and under pressure. They didn't know how to speak softly, listen deeply, and connect authentically when they were angry, frustrated, overwhelmed, or emotional. They didn't need conflict management help. What they needed was emotional management and pressure management help. I recognized that people couldn't effectively resolve conflict with others until they learned how to resolve conflict within themselves first. In fact, there were three major observations I had about pressure and how it impacted the leaders I worked with: ?? Pressure reveals character: While we may all conceal less desirable aspects of ourselves, pressure can squeeze some of those traits out of us, making it harder to maintain our composure. ?? Pressure alters performance: Under pressure, our ability to be at our best diminishes. While you may expect to rise to the occasion, we're more likely to choke and fall short of our best behavior when feeling pressured. ?? Pressure distorts reasonableness: Pressure can influence the judgments we make. To combat momentary discomfort, we may make short-term emotional decisions without consideration of the long-term implications of those decisions. How are your pressure management skills? How well do you show up when things are blowing up? Remember, your greatest intangible contribution as a leader may be in the example of how you lead yourself through conflict, tension, and adversity. So don't let pressure turn you into a problem causer. Learn how to manage your pressure well in order to be an effective problem solver! #conflictmanagement #conflictresolution

Special thanks to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for inviting me back to lead a two day Conflict Communication Workshop for Law Enforcement Leaders! What a fantastic group of leaders, a true model for law enforcement excellence! I look forward to working with you all again in the future! #conflictresolution #conflictmanagement