Investing in Conversation - Conflict Management for Managers

This is another show from my archive. It was recorded in 2014, after I saw my guest (Professor Jesse Stommel) speak at the Higher Education Arts and Humanities conference. What was I doing, hanging around with PH-Ds and Professors? I'll tell you on the blog at:

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog -

a couple of days after this is published.

If you caught Episode 4 of the series, you'll have heard a couple of clips from this show. I'm re-releasing it in full because it deals with the tug-of-war between 'real' and 'virtual' communication - which has the potential to cause even more conflict at work today than it did eleven years ago. On the intro, I give some of the credit for that to 'the rapid development of AI'; and there's also the spread of hybrid working.

Yes, this conversation was very much education-focused; but I found Jesse's approach to the challenge of the virtual coming into a 'real' environment interesting - and inspiring. I'll be honest, I couldn't agree with all his takes, but I did appreciate them. He didn't just say (as so many of us do), 'It's all terrible!', or, 'It's all great!' He recognised the obstacles - and found ways to turn them into opportunities. That's a skill which every business leader I've ever met has valued.

As always, if you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work - including turning obstacles into opportunities! - come and talk to me. All my details are at:

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

In memory of the late Suzanne Corkin, 1937/2016.

You may have heard a clip from this programme in Episode 4. As I say on the new intro, I’m re-releasing it in full because our memories create so much conflict at work – and understanding why is key to managing that. There’s also the fact that we may need to manage the effects of memory loss, in ourselves or our customers/clients or colleagues.

In 2015, via Skype, I spoke to Prof. Suzanne Corkin, of MIT. I was inspired to approach her for an interview after reading her book:

‘A Permanent Present Tense: The Man With No Memory’,

about the forty-six years she spent working with Henry Molaison (known publicly as ‘HM’ during his lifetime). Henry lost his ability to retain important kinds of new memory, after experimental brain surgery to reduce his severe epilepsy.

When we spoke, Suzanne explained:

Why we should remember ‘HM’;

How he made sense of recognition without remembering;

Why he forgot fear; and

Who he really was as a person.

She also referred to:

How easy it is to create false memories; and

Research into possibilities of memory editing – and the ethical questions that raised.

On the blog at:

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog

I’ll look at where that research is in 2025. I’ll also talk about the kinds of conflict our memories spark at work – and give you five tips to help you deal with them.

That post will appear at:

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog

a couple of days after I publish this show.

As always, if you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are at:

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

In 2013, via Skype (apologies for any audio quality issues!), American businesswoman, Colleen Jolly and I looked - and laughed! - at the assumption we'd each made on our first trip to each other's countries. Colleen was also able to bring another perspective, having worked in Australia as well as the UK. So on this show, we talked about:

Cultural faux pas 101 (that number is now understood to mean the same thing on both sides of the pond - but when she first came here ...?!);

Why you really shouldn't go by the book;

Making a killing down-under - if down-under didn't kill you first!;

falling into the UK's North/South divide; and

Why there was still value in going the distance - even with all the technological options at our disposal.

I believe that's still true.

As I say on the blog, at:

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog

This show still makes me laugh 'more than anything else I've ever produced!' I hope you'll get some fun out of it as well - but I hope you'll also find business value in it. On the blog, I look at some ways in which Trans-Atlantic culture gaps have closed - while others remain wide open, waiting for unsuspecting travellers (virtual as well as physical) to tumble in!

In the first series of the current podcast, 'Culture' was 'The Last Word On Conflict Management' (Ep10). There are so many layers and dimensions to this topic - and so many of those are constantly evolving - it's a theme I suspect we'll come back to regularly.

In the meantime, if you need help with any aspect of dispute resolution or conflict management at work (cultural or otherwise), come and talk to me! All my details are at:

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

Between 2013 and 2016, I made a series called:

‘Conversations with the Invisible Woman’.

It was focused on communication in general. Although the topic of disputes and conflicts at work cropped up regularly! So in 2025, when I came to make the first series of ‘Investing in Conversation’, I decided to include some clips from those earlier programmes.

In this show, recorded in 2013, author, speaker and internationally renowned sound expert, Julian Treasure talks about how the majority of buildings are designed ‘by and for the eyes’ and the impact that has on:

Business,

Education and

Healthcare.

We also discuss the role of noise in dispute and conflict – the topic we pick up in the first episode of 'Investing in Conversation':

'Do You Lead With Listening?'

On the blog - https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog - I sum up ore recent research in this area and expand on Julian's recommendations for improving our soundscapes.

Understanding of this subject has moved on since we made this programme - but the principles - and many of the practical problems flowing from them - haven't changed.

If you need help with any aspect of dispute resolution or conflict management at work - sound/noise-related or otherwise - , come and talk to me! All my details are on the website:

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

As I say on this final show in the first series, the topic is:

‘Something we’ve been talking about since the first episode. … The first word on conflict management is “collaboration”’ and the last is ‘culture’, because that ‘runs under, over, around and through everything you need to collaborate successfully’.

To demonstrate that, there’s a little montage of clips from earlier episodes, with:

• Julian Treasure – on listening,
• Colleen Jolly – on being divided by a common language (who also speaks from experience this time, about going by the book on her first trip to the UK),
• Chris Arnheim – on jargon,
• Graham Music – on empathy,
• Sophie Scott – on the power of speech and
• Jennifer Veitch – on healthy lighting -

Which all touch, either expressly or by implication, on the influence of culture.

The new voice on this show belongs to Prof. David Howes of Concordia University – who demonstrates that ‘universal truths’ may only be universal among people who believe them.

As always, we finish on a light note. To be honest, there are so many laughs in Colleen’s section, she could have covered this as well!; but I go back to the trans-Atlantic networking discussion I dipped into earlier in the series, with:

• Mark Amtower,
• Ardell Fleeson and her British colleague,
• Chris Tollast.

I won’t be away from the pod for long, but while I am, I’ll still be blogging – https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog - if you:

keep an eye on that or

come and join me on Linkedin – www.linkedin.com/in/sherie-griffiths

I’ll let you know when the new series is ready to go. There are also other projects in the pipeline, which I’ll be posting about in the not too distant future.

In the meantime, if you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are on the website:

http://www.savvybusiness.com

In the penultimate episode of this first series of the pod, I’m:

• Busting a myth,
• Speaking from experience and
• Sharing a tip,

On a topic which ought to be about bridging relational distance – although it can be quite divisive.

I’ve touched on one component of emotional intelligence (EI) in Episode 5. You’ll hear a couple of short clips from that show – along with another contribution from Graham Music of the Tavistock Centre, on the subject of empathy.

EI is a vital skillset In conflict management. Aside from anything else, it helps us understand fundamental needs – our own and other people’s. As I say on the show:

‘So much conflict flows from misunderstanding around needs’ – so that’s going to be the subject of this week’s blog – published a couple of days after the pod at

https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog

For now, if you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are on the website –

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

Just a quick message this time, explaining why there's no full show this week. Really sorry, but time has really been against me over the past week! Normal service will be resumed on 3rd June. In the meantime, it's business as usual on the blog - https://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com/blog - this week's post, which will appear later this week, is:

'How can I reach you?' - all about how we choose and use communication media.

As always, if you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are on the website:

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

Shownotes:

Picking up on last week’s show, about where works best for communication – and how space can create, aggravate or de-escalate conflict, this time, we’re talking about how time can do the same. ‘We’ includes two returners from earlier episodes – and an unusual first-timer.

I also talk about Prof. Matt Walker – billed as ‘The world’s No. 1 sleep expert!’ I’m hoping to get Matt on the programme in the next series; but for now, I recommend his online content – including his TED talk:

‘Sleep is Your Superpower’.

https://www.ted.com/talks/matt_walker_sleep_is_your_superpower/

Why are we talking about sleep on a podcast about work time? Because it’s the most important investment you can make in your work-related conversations – aimed at conflict management, or anything else. I know that might sound crazy – I acknowledge that on the show – but it really isn’t.

That said, we don’t spend the whole episode asleep!:

Dr. Jennifer Veitch of The National Research Council of Canada (who was on last week’s show) helps me bust another myth – backed up by a brief appearance from

The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah band’s ‘Urban Spaceman’ (it all makes sense when you hear it – honestly!) and

Rob Jones of Ultimate Content (who was in the background in Ep5 – when I was talking about the job interview from hell!) shares a tip on making the most of your attention resources).

In between, I speak from experience, about a time culture clash.

On the blog, I’ll give you some tips to help- you cut the risk of conflict arising from:

An ‘always on’ culture,

Communication silence and

‘covert’ time-shifting.

Next week’s show is the penultimate in this first series of the pod – I’m already planning the second! In the meantime:

If you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are on the website –

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

Following on from last week’s episode, on the power of speech, this time the focus is on where we harness that power for work – in fact, where works best for communication in general. I’m joined by two guests:

Julian Treasure, the expert on how sound affects us, who you heard in Episode 1 and

Dr. Jennifer Veitch of the National Research Council of Canada, who’s an expert on lighting and health.

They help me bust a myth,

I speak from ‘painful first-hand experience!’ of an opportunity becoming an obstacle and

Between us, we give you a tip,

All about how where we work can cause or aggravate conflict – and help to resolve or manage it.

You’ll find more tips on the blog, to help you make your workspaces work more effectively for communication – to reduce conflict and improve collaboration.

If you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are on the website -

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com

The quick answer to the title question is:

Because speech is the most powerful conflict management tool we have.

In this episode, I’m joined by Prof. Sophie Scott of The Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, who:

• Helps me bust one of my favourite communication myths,
• Speaks from experience – including her experience of doing stand-up – about science?! And
• Shares the most important tip to help any of us start harnessing the power of speech across the board.

Once you can do what Sophie recommends, you can take advantage of the more specific conflict management tips I’ll give you on the blog.

On the show, we talk about one way our voices connect us without words – when we laugh – and I promise you a link to ‘Bill Bailey’s little LOL experiment’ – so here it is:

https://youtu.be/q8pqepZW7-E?si=gtK2hoNa6YBE98ud

I also promise you the link to the full version of Sophie’s Standup set (as part of UCL’s Bright Club, in 2011) – although I do need to correct myself on that score –

I say you can ‘watch the whole thing on YouTube’ – but I should have said ‘listen’ – at least, I can only find the audio:

https://youtu.be/xCuaqH4xgCA?si=yHRaFfTaFOcXuxWR

The one little ‘naughty’ word in that clip is why I’ve had to mark this episode as ‘explicit’!

As always, if you need help with any aspect of conflict management at work, come and talk to me! All my details are on the website:

http://www.savvybusinessresolutions.com