Calming the storm
How to de-escalate emotionally charged encounters
You answer your phone and discover an angry caller at the other end of the line. Voices are rising in a team meeting. Your mediation is starting to heat up — and not in a good way. Your teenager loses their temper and gets up to leave the room.
What you do next can make the difference between an encounter that escalates and one that leaves you all calmly discussing the matter at hand.
This 1-hour video, recorded during a live session Tammy delivered to a workplace audience, will introduce you to what to do next to keep important conversations on an even keel and help frustrated conversation partners stay or return to calm.
Thoughtfully developed and tested in the classroom and meeting room for over two decades
Calming the Storm is a 1-hour video that introduces key factors influencing the way frustrated encounters unfold and ways to defuse emotionally charged situations calmly and professionally:
- Common warning signs that someone’s frustration or anger is increasing.
- The types of responses to avoid and why.
- A memorable 3-part de-escalation framework.
- Science-informed techniques to de-escalate emotionally charged moments.
Tammy developed the materials over a 20-year period for use with her conflict resolution graduate students, mediation students, and organizational audiences.
Here’s an excerpt:
For over two decades, Dr. Tammy Lenski has been helping people work out the friction and disagreements that get in the way of career, teamwork, and healthy relationships. A nationally recognized, award-winning mediator and executive coach based in New Hampshire, USA, Tammy has taught conflict resolution at four U.S. universities and was co-founder of the world’s first master’s degree in mediation. Tammy’s two conflict resolution books have sold more than 40,000 copies worldwide, and her popular conflict resolution blog+podcast has readers and listeners on six continents and at organizations as diverse as Daimler AG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Intel, Kennedy Center, Kaiser Permanente, Harvard, MIT, NOAA, the U.S. Small Business Association, and the FBI.
FAQ
What’s included?
- 1 self-study video, streamable and downloadable, 1:13 in length
- Worksheet for use with the video
- Summary handout for use after the video
- Everything is online, accessible 24/7 via whatever Internet-connected device you choose.
- Future updates at no additional charge.
Who’s it for? Who’s it not for?
Calming the Storm is for you if…
- Your job regularly places you in the presence of other people’s frustration, such as in customer service positions, management, human resources, and law enforcement.
- You’re a mediator and want more ways to help clients keep their balance in difficult conversations and negotiations.
- You want to expand your toolbox to de-escalate tense conversations at home and/or work.
- You aspire to a career where top-notch communication and problem-solving skills are highly valued.
Calming the Storm is not for you if…
- You’re seeking an in-depth course in anger management or conflict resolution.
- You need to know how to de-escalate volatile situations in which your own or someone else’s health or life could be at risk.
- You want to know how to de-escalate or prevent workplace or family violence.
How long will it take?
The course has one video with a length of 1 hour and 13 minutes. It’s completely self-directed, so you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access?
After enrolling, you have unlimited access for as long as you like, via your smartphone, tablet, or computer, for as long as we offer it. If the course closes down in the future, we will reach out to all participants who have chosen to receive course communications so that you can download all the content for your permanent use.
How much interaction will I have with other participants?
The video is a self-study for you to do on your own, at your own pace. Tammy won’t be online with you, though you are welcome to email her with questions.
What if I’m unhappy with it?
We would never want you to be unhappy. If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, contact Tammy within one week of purchase and we will give you a full refund.
Can I expense the course?
Your organization’s specific policies will dictate whether or not you can expense Calming the Storm. Most organizations understand that investment in effective conflict resolution brings exponential returns. If you are required to justify the expense, consider these points:
- Enhancing your conflict resolution skills will improve your effectiveness and contribute to a healthy workplace dynamic.
- The course is science- and research-backed. The instructor, Dr. Tammy Lenski, is an award-winning and internationally recognized conflict resolution expert who has taught this material at the graduate level at four colleges and universities.
Can I share the course with others in my company?
Please register each user separately. Contact Tammy for team discount pricing.
