AuthRev Articles

Exploring the Curiosities of Connection

Tags: difficult conversations

Showing 12 results:

Boss Battle 5: Getting Your Way…And Theirs

Everybody wins! I want to tell you a story about how conflicts start - and how they end. It's a tale about a little, undramatic event in history called the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1962, the world came the closest it ever has to the brink of nuclear war. The US had attempted to overthrow Cuban d...

by Geof Krum, Sara Ness — Sep 27, 2025 art of difficult conversations beyond stalemates boss battle series coaching collaboration over conflict conflict resolution conflict toolkit cuban missile crisis difficult conversations everybody wins expanding the pie fight better together flagship course last boss battle live online training mediation min-course mutual gains negotiation tactics next steps in conflict on-demand course practical results relating languages relationship skills

Boss Battle 4: The Secret Languages of Connection

A map for any tough talk I used to come to difficult conversations with page-long lists of what to say. I knew that, as soon as the conversation started, I would freeze up and lose my perspective. So, I had all my points prepared in advance. I held my papers (back when we still used those things)...

by Geof Krum, Sara Ness — Sep 17, 2025 adaptive communication art of difficult conversations (adc) boss battles series conflict resolution conversational styles difficult conversations exploring the issue flagship course flexible communication from scripts to flow live online training map for tough talks mini-course never be lost for words on-demand course relating languages relationship skills secret languages of connection tools for every turn

Boss Battle 3: “Why do you always do this?”

3+ tools for de-escalating reactivity You’ve found your courage and initiated a tough talk. You started soft, presenting the problem without reactivity. You were prepared. You did everything right. And still, things have gone wrong. They’re angry. Resentful. Reactive. Even though you spoke from y...

by Geof Krum, Sara Ness — Sep 17, 2025 art of difficult conversations (adc) boss battles series calming the storm conflict resolution conflict toolkit de-escalation tools difficult conversations don’t react emotional reactivity flagship course free module handling bad actions live online training navigating reactivity on-demand course relationship skills respond self-regulation stay centered turning fire into dialogue why do you always do this?

Boss Battle 2: Avoiding Crash Landings

How to stop a fight before it begins If you read the last article, you’ve now successfully started a scary conversation in a simple, less confrontational way. (If you missed that email, you can find it here on our blog.) It would be great if the conflict ended there. Unfortunately, you still have...

by Geof Krum, Sara Ness — Sep 17, 2025 adc worksheet art of difficult conversations (adc) avoiding crash landings boss battles series conflict resolution conversation openers difficult conversations first 90 seconds first words matter flagship course free module gentle beginnings gottman research harsh vs soft start-up live online training on-demand course prevent explosions relationship skills start softly starting the conversation

Boss Battle 1: Getting to the Table

The Recovering Conflict Avoiders’ Club You really don’t want to have this conversation. You know you should. It’s been hanging over your head for weeks now: what you said, what they said, what both of you didn’t say. But how do you get yourself to start talking about it? When I (Sara) was young, ...

by Geof Krum, Sara Ness — Sep 17, 2025 art of difficult conversations (adc) boss battles series communication skills conflict avoidance conflict resolution conversation setup conversation starters couples communication difficult conversations flagship course free module from avoidance to action getting to the table leadership communication on-demand course personal growth reconnect & resolve recovering conflict avoiders relationship skills safe conversations setting the stage start the talk workplace conflict

Learn How to Fight

Conflict isn't the problem. You and your partner need to have a hard conversation. It’s been coming for a while. You’ve started resenting them. Their actions, even nice ones, seem ill-intentioned. You avoid time alone. You say nothing’s changed - but you know that something is wrong. What can yo...

Sep 17, 2025 art of difficult conversations (adc) boss battles series building connection communication tools conflict resolution couples communication difficult conversations emotional intelligence fight better together flagship course growth through conflict leadership skills live online training marriage support navigating reactivity on-demand course relationship skills team culture trust and respect workplace relationships

What Kind of Bad Communicator Are You?

Introducing the Dark Art-chetypes Let’s face it, we’re all shitty communicators when we’re mad. Yes, dear reader, even you. Even me, the Queen of Authenticity. I’m extra “authentic” when I’m angry. I have so many feelings that need to be spoken, so many logical arguments for why I’m right, so muc...

Jun 06, 2025 anger archetypes communication styles conflict communication conversational power dark arts defensive behaviors difficult conversations emotional intelligence manipulation tactics personal growth power dynamics quiz-based learning relationship dynamics self-awareness shadow work

Sifting the Sands

Researching Through the Noise When we began designing The Art of Difficult Conversations, we thought we’d be curating from a deep and credible field. Conflict, after all, is hardly a new subject. The literature goes back actual millennia. Entire professions exist to manage it, mediato...

Jun 03, 2025 attachment theory communication frameworks conflict research cultural sensitivity difficult conversations emotional regulation feedback models hostage negotiation identity and power interdisciplinary models leadership communication mirroring negotiation skills nervous system awareness practical communication tools practice-based learning radical candor critique somatic coaching tactical empathy the art of difficult conversations

A Framework for Conflict at the End of the World

In early 2022, Sara and I got a call from Rebel Wisdom. They had a problem: their community, despite being unusually bright, dangerously curious, and predisposed to that greatest of libertarian vices: solipsism, didn’t really know how to talk to each other. Their community was founded...

Jun 03, 2025 art of difficult conversations communication skills conflict resolution crisis negotiation de-escalation strategies difficult conversations emotional intelligence facilitation tools feedback skills group dynamics holding tension interpersonal skills leadership development nonviolent communication presence in conflict relational capacity relational intelligence self-regulation somatic awareness tactical empathy

Free Exposure Therapy

How to fight your dad - and win “You’re a failure,” he screamed at me. Red faced, spit flying from his mouth, hands balled into fists as he stared me down. “You never amounted to anything. And you don’t come home to visit!” I took a breath. Then I yelled back, just as loudly. “Don’t you want me t...

May 23, 2025 anger management arguments communication skills conflict resolution difficult conversations ecposure therapy emotional growth emotional regulation experiential healing family dynamics fight lab fighting better psychodrama ptsd recovery relational intellifence roleplay for healing somatic psychology trigger work truama-informed practice

Training Anger Management

How does state-dependent learning affect skill-building? Imagine this. You take a well-regarded communications course and learn the skills of curiosity, empathy, and self-expression. You come home and use the skills with your partner, which they love. Until…things go wrong. You’ve been practicing...

May 15, 2025 anger management communication conflict resolution conflict training curiosity difficult conversations embodied learning emotional regulation empathy experiential learning memory nervous system neurobiology psychology state-dependent learning

How to Share a Withhold

Clear conflicts before they explode. Sometimes, I get angry with people and think they’re wrong. I know, shocking. As a communications teacher I should be immune to such emotions. But we tend to teach the things we’re bad at. And I am a sensitive, cranky human. For a long time I swung between t...

by Sara Ness — Feb 18, 2025 arguments clearing conflict difficult conversations fighting resolution shared reality subtext understanding withholds