In this episode, I welcome back Kim Best, founder of Best Conflict Solutions, for part two of our conversation on practical ways to navigate conflict. Kim brings decades of experience in healthcare, mediation, and conflict management, and we explore several ideas from her Conflict Conversation Cards.

We discuss why disagreement does not have to mean opposition, why people often avoid difficult conversations in the name of keeping the peace, and the importance of separating the person from the problem.

Kim also explains the “anger iceberg”—the idea that anger often sits on top of deeper feelings such as fear, rejection, overwhelm, or feeling unheard. We talk about slowing down long enough to understand what may actually be happening beneath someone’s reaction.

The conversation also explores the stories we create when we do not have all the information, our tendency to label people as difficult, and why listening requires more than simply waiting for our turn to speak.

We close with two especially important reminders: impact matters even when our intentions are good, and when we do not know someone’s motives, choosing a more generous assumption can protect both the relationship and the conversation.

It’s another practical conversation about becoming more thoughtful, curious, and disciplined when conflict shows up.

👉  Download The Leader’s Ultimate Guide to Difficult Conversations, a practical framework for entering difficult conversations with clarity, discipline, and influence.

👉 Who is Karl Pister?
👉 Follow us on LinkedIn.
👉 Contact us on our website.
👉 Subscribe to Karl's YouTube channel.

Ready to level up your leadership skills? Sign up for The Coaching Group's leadership courses.