Conflict Resolutions

When Yelling Erupts at Work

By Sylvia Lafair | May 1, 2025 |

How to Handle Conflict Without Losing Your Cool If you’ve ever been the recipient of someone’s work meltdown, especially when the volume turns to eleven, it is disorienting. You freeze, fume, or fantasize about quitting on the spot. But here’s the truth: conflict is inevitable. How you handle it is optional. Let’s look at handling…

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Man hiding from fear of losing job

Fear of Losing Your Job: How to Turn Panic into Power

By Sylvia Lafair | April 29, 2025 |

Summary: Fear of losing your job can bury or build you. Which one are you choosing? Our economy is like the biggest roller coaster in an amusement park. However, while fear of losing your job can cause screams, it’s not fun. Nobody gets a lifetime guarantee stamped on their paycheck. Fear is natural—it’s what you…

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When Conflict Hits: Align Your Head, Heart, and Gut

By Sylvia Lafair | April 22, 2025 |

In times of chaos and conflict, most people either freeze, fume, or flee. But smart leaders? They align. Align what, you ask? Not your calendar. Not your chakras (though hey, that might help too). We’re talking about Triple Alignment™: Head, Heart, Gut. It’s a new way of thinking about conflict resolution for leaders. Dear Dr.…

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Bite Your Lip Communication: A Leader’s Secret Weapon for Long-Term Influence

By Sylvia Lafair | April 15, 2025 | Comments Off on Bite Your Lip Communication: A Leader’s Secret Weapon for Long-Term Influence

Summary: Often, less is more when it comes to being a successful leader. Here is why it may be best to hold your tongue, bite your lip, and wait for a better time to respond. Leadership communication is both an art and a skill if done correctly. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I have often heard you…

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Leadership Development: How Watching A Movie Changed Everything

By Sylvia Lafair | April 8, 2025 | Comments Off on Leadership Development: How Watching A Movie Changed Everything

Summary: The term “out-of-the-box thinking” has been around for decades. Let’s explore how watching a movie offers a unique approach to transforming team conflict into team collaboration. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I grew up in a world where the mantra was “better safe than sorry.” Therefore, risk-taking is not in my toolkit. For example, I lost…

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Sibling Repair as a Leadership Lesson

By Sylvia Lafair | April 1, 2025 | Comments Off on Sibling Repair as a Leadership Lesson

Summary: Adult sibling relationships often drift apart, influenced by various life circumstances, unresolved childhood conflicts, or differing personal values. However, repairing communication and reconnect can yield profound personal and emotional benefits. Here’s why re-establishing a positive relationship with adult siblings matters, even when a minimal or no relationship currently exists. Dear Dr. Sylvia, As a…

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Two leaders navigating conflict

How Leaders Can Help Teams Move Beyond the Past

By Sylvia Lafair | March 20, 2025 | Comments Off on How Leaders Can Help Teams Move Beyond the Past

Summary: When left unresolved, conflict can linger like a heavy cloud, impacting individuals, teams, and entire communities. But what if the best way to heal isn’t through endless debate or forced apologies but by doing something together to move beyond the past? Dear Dr. Sylvia, I was thinking about a pre-pandemic on-site my company did…

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Healing Long-Standing Conflicts: The Leader’s Role in Restoring Harmony

By Sylvia Lafair | March 18, 2025 | Comments Off on Healing Long-Standing Conflicts: The Leader’s Role in Restoring Harmony

Summary: Conflict is inevitable, but long-standing conflicts—in families, workplaces, or communities—can become deeply ingrained and corrosive. Leaders play a crucial role in breaking the cycle. They guide individuals and teams toward resolution, and fostering a culture of understanding. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I have two employees who are a mini-representation of the Middle East, Ukraine-Russia and…

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Two faces going from bitter to better

From Bitter to Better: How to Transform Workplace Drama into Growth

By Sylvia Lafair | March 3, 2025 | Comments Off on From Bitter to Better: How to Transform Workplace Drama into Growth

Summary: This is a tale of workplace conflict and redemption that shows you ways to make real change happen. Enjoy it and use it in your own work life. Dear Dr. Sylvia, I am so tired of fighting with my colleagues at work. My pattern is “the clown.” I make funny jokes (at least, I…

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Breaking the cycle of emotional patterns

Breaking the Cycle: How Patterns Shape Workplace Tension

By Sylvia Lafair | February 26, 2025 | Comments Off on Breaking the Cycle: How Patterns Shape Workplace Tension

Lisa’s response to Greg wasn’t just a moment of emotional intelligence—it was a shift in a long-standing workplace pattern. If she had reacted with defensiveness, their conflict would have deepened, reinforcing a cycle of hostility. Instead, by stepping back and choosing curiosity over combat, she disrupted the dynamic. This is what pattern awareness is all…

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