Conflict doesn't just make us emotional — it makes us think worse, in specific and predictable ways. The good news is that the degradation is trainable, and there are a few concrete tools for staying clear when the room gets hot.

Most people assume the problem with conflict is emotional: you get an...

The skill that separates leaders who hold a room from leaders who lose the room

In high-stakes moments — the tense negotiation, the meeting that's turning, the decision everyone's watching — the technical part of leadership is rarely what's tested. What's tested is whether you can accurately read w...

The demands on leaders have grown more psychological. As organizations flatten and work becomes more interdependent, a larger share of a leader's effectiveness now rests on managing team dynamics and interpersonal friction rather than on technical direction alone. The research points consistently to...

Why attunement is what actually connects, at work and everywhere else.

Most advice about connecting with people is advice about technique. Mirror their body language. Use their words. Nod, paraphrase, ask open questions. Maintain eye contact. The premise is that connection is a set of moves you exe...