Listening to Understand: A Free Workshop
When workplace tensions rise, our instinct is to explain, persuade, and convince.
But this reflexive response makes conflicts worse—not better.
There's a more effective approach.
In this free 90-minute workshop, you'll learn why truly understanding others is the foundation of conflict intelligence—and how to practice this skill in even the most difficult conversations.
Learn how to turn conflicts into opportunities for better outcomes.
What You Get
Free 90-minute live workshop
Online via Google Meet
Healthcare-specific conflict scenarios
Hands-on practice
Digital workbook and reference materials
Join us at 11:00 Eastern
on November 22, 2025.
What You Will Learn
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✓ The Power of Understanding Others
Learn how empathic listening (a) builds trust, (b) widens your perspective, (c) reduces their anxiety, and (d) helps them hear you.
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✓ How People See Different Worlds
Use the Ladder of Inference in an eye-opening exercise to understand how we reach different conclusions from the same evidence.
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✓ Why Trying to Persuade Makes it Worse
Discover why our instinct to explain and convince others triggers defensiveness and locks people into positions—and what to do instead.
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✓ How to Avoid Inciting Defensiveness
After establishing understanding, learn how to express your perspective in a way that opens dialogue rather than shutting it down.
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✓ Techniques to Help People Feel Heard
Practice specific reflective listening techniques. Learn standard phrases you can use to demonstrate understanding—even when you disagree.
Is This Workshop Right for You?
This workshop is designed for healthcare professionals who regularly navigate workplace tensions and want more effective tools:
Nurses dealing with shift conflicts and communication breakdowns
Hospital administrators juggling competing priorities and stakeholder needs
Physicians managing team dynamics and professional hierarchies
Department heads leading diverse clinical and support teams
Clinical staff caught between patient needs and system constraints
Team leaders who want to transform conflicts from battles into collaboration
“You don’t need prior conflict resolution experience. Just bring your curiosity and willingness to learn something new.”
Workshop Details
Format & Access
Format: Live online via Google Meet
Duration: 90 minutes interactive workshop
Next Cohort: November 18, 2025
Cost: FREE for founding cohort participants
Group Size: Limited to 24 participants
What You'll Receive
90-minute live interactive workshop with expert facilitation
Comprehensive digital workbook with frameworks and techniques
Healthcare-specific conflict practice scenarios
Access to practice tool for ongoing skill development
Empathic listening reference sheet
7-day practice challenge with daily prompts
Certificate of completion
Technical Requirements
Computer with camera, microphone, and stable internet connection. That's it!
Meet Your Instructor
Mike Palmer brings decades of experience in high-stakes negotiations and dispute resolution to healthcare conflict intelligence.
As a litigation and bankruptcy lawyer, university teacher, and international consultant, he has helped professionals navigate complex conflicts in legal, business, and healthcare settings.
Key expertise includes:
Negotiation and conflict management in high-pressure environments
Cognitive biases and judgment psychology
Professional decision-making and ethics
Author of multiple books and articles on conflict intelligence, professional judgment, and ethical decision-making
Creator of innovative tools for dispute resolution and assessment
Mike’s teaching combines theoretical rigor with practical wisdom, helping learners apply conflict intelligence to all types of hospital challenges.
Frequently Asked Questions
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A: Not at all. This workshop is designed for everyone, regardless of training or experience. The workshop includes everything you need to know.
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A: We'll be offering additional sessions throughout late 2025 and early 2026. When you register, you'll have the option to join waitlist for future dates. However, the founding cohort receives priority access and special benefits.
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A: Yes! The founding cohort receives free access as we launch the Conflict-Intelligent Healthcare program. You’ll help us refine the content while providing value to early participants.
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A: Very! The first 60 minutes includes demonstrations and group discussions. The final 30 minutes is hands-on practice with realistic scenarios—either with partners in breakout rooms or using our AI practice tool.
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A: Due to the interactive nature and participant privacy, we don't record the live sessions. However, you'll receive comprehensive digital materials that capture all key concepts and techniques.
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A: The skills apply to any healthcare setting—clinics, long-term care, home health, public health, and more. While we use some hospital-specific examples, the principles of conflict intelligence work everywhere.
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A: Absolutely! Learning together can be powerful. Each person needs to register individually because space is limited, but we encourage teams to participate together.
Ready to Engage with Others
by Listening to Understand?
Join the founding cohort of healthcare professionals
learning the Art of Listening to Understand
Spaces are limited to 24 participants per session
to ensure quality interaction and personalized attention.
The next time you’re faced with a difficult talk,
you'll be able to affirm the other person,
make sure you understand them, and
lay the foundation for being heard by them.
Next session: November 18, 2025
at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time