Conflict Managed

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Masha Rusanov. Together we explore:

Identifying your default conflict pattern
What happens when you break your usual conflict script
Listening to the body’s “yes” and “no” signals in difficult conversations
Limiting beliefs that keep conflict cycles going
Finding alignment with colleagues, even in disagreement

The conflict is the enemy, not the people: uniting against the issue

 

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration

 

Masha Rusanov is a conflict resolution expert, coach, and creator of the Exhale-Explore-Engage method. Drawing on Internal Family Systems, somatic psychology, and conflict theory, she helps people break free from legacy patterns to live with integrity.

Masha’s new book, Repatterned: How to Transform Your Conflict Defaults and Reclaim Your Life, introduces a practical three-step framework for interrupting automatic conflict reactions and responding with clarity instead of conditioning. Blending neuroscience, psychology, and real-life stories, Repatterned shows readers how to pause, recognize learned patterns, and choose responses aligned with their values.

Masha lives in California with her husband and their blended constellation of children.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

 

#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Podcast #Ombuds

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Laura Kriska. Together we explore:

Seeing and breaking down silos at work

Asking: What are we actually trying to achieve together?

The power of superordinate goals

The four stages of trust

Turning colleagues into trusted colleagues

We-building instead of division

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Laura Kriska is a Harvard Business Review contributor, TEDx speaker, and the author of three books on trust, culture, and collaboration, including The Business of WE, The Accidental Office Lady, and her newest work, focused on practical trust-building in today’s organizations. Her article in Harvard Business Review, published in November 2024, was recently selected for a special edition to be released in May 2026.

Her career began at age 22 as the first American woman to work in Honda Motor Company’s Tokyo headquarters, an experience that launched a 30+ year career helping global teams, leaders, and organizations close the “us vs. them” gaps that quietly erode performance, culture, and results.

At a time when workplaces feel more divided than ever—across culture, politics, generations, functions, hybrid vs. in-office, and identity—Laura works with organizations worldwide on what actually creates change. Her approach goes beyond slogans, focusing instead on research-backed, practical actions that measurably build trust. Her work has been featured in Harvard Business Review and highlighted by platforms such as Seth Godin’s ChangeThis.

Laura’s life’s work centers on inspiring what she calls a “WE-building revolution,” moving people beyond awareness into meaningful action that narrows the gaps holding teams and communities back.

  

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Connection #Podcast

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Shalin Desai. Together we explore:

Trying to escape vs. learning the skills to navigate difficult situations

Learning and practicing The Art of Living breathing

What is within our control

Training your mind

The role of emotions at work

The connection between breath and emotions

Emotional regulation: how?

Taking the mental “trash” out regularly

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

 

Shalin Desai is the Director of Programs for the Art of Living Foundation, one of the world’s largest nonprofit organizations, whose initiatives have positively impacted over 500 million people across 180+ countries. With more than 25 years of experience teaching breathwork and meditation, Shalin is known for integrating ancient wisdom with modern leadership and well-being practices. He also serves as Chief Revenue Officer of Sri Sri Tattva, a global wellness brand offering natural and Ayurvedic products that promote holistic health through a blend of tradition and science.

For over 15 years, Shalin has designed and delivered corporate leadership and wellness programs for organizations including Microsoft, Dell, Boston Consulting Group, Accenture, Salesforce, Eli Lilly and Company, and Merck & Co. His work helps leaders and teams manage stress, build resilience, and cultivate mental clarity while reconnecting with a deeper sense of purpose.

Shalin is known for his Intuitive Life Scan, a breakthrough approach in which trained guides provide unbiased insights into an individual’s current situation. A highly engaging speaker known for his relatable storytelling and humor, Shalin inspires audiences with practical techniques they can apply immediately to improve focus, leadership, and overall well-being.

Shalin holds a degree in Supply Chain Management from the State University of New York and lives in Indianapolis with his wife and two children.

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Derek T. Smith. Together we explore:

Harassment and discrimination at work

Impact vs. intent

Holding real conversations before problems escalate

Smart people learn from their own mistakes. Geniuses learn from the mistakes of others

Let people talk. Let people know you are available.

When to reach out to a lawyer

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

 

Derek Smith is a nationally recognized employment attorney and founder of the Derek Smith Law Group, with nearly 30 years of experience fighting for victims of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination. Since 1995, Derek and his firm have secured over $400 million in compensation for clients across offices in New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, California, and Florida. He holds the record for the largest emotional distress jury verdict ever upheld on appeal in an employment discrimination case in the United States. Known for his compassionate yet tenacious approach, Derek has represented everyone from blue-collar workers to world-famous celebrities, making him one of the most formidable voices in workplace justice today.  

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

 

#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Connection #Podcast

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Lucy Standing. Together we explore:

Internal and external networking

Her new book, Age Against the Machine: New Rules for Working in an Ageist World

Continuing career conversations at work

Agism at work

Assume good intent, then have the conversation anyway

 

Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration

Lucy Standing is a Chartered Psychologist, founder of Brave Starts, and Vice Chair of the Association for Business Psychology. She was previously Global Head of Recruitment in the Investment Bank and Strategy Consulting sectors across JP Morgan and LEK consulting.

Lucy is co-author of Age Against the Machine, a book that argues the talent shortage gripping British business isn't a talent problem - it's a filtering problem. The most experienced, emotionally intelligent, highest-performing workers in the room are being screened out - by algorithms, by assumptions, and by hiring systems built for a workforce that no longer exists.

Lucy has spoken in the UK Parliament on this issue, contributed research to the OECD on ageing and employment policy, and writes a regular careers column for The Daily Telegraph. As founder of Brave Starts CIC - a career development community of over 2,000 people navigating midlife work transitions - she isn't just making a theoretical argument. She has thousands of real stories to back it up.
 

Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

 

#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Connection #Podcast