I'm exploring ways to describe what I teach. Could you please help me out and tell me which one resonates most with you? Put your vote in a comment. 1. “I teach people how to calm emotional tension and prevent fights before they start — in business, at home, and in life. Once you know how to listen to emotions instead of words, conflict simply dissolves.” 2. “Most people listen to words. I teach people to listen to emotions — and when they do, anger disappears, conflict ends, and trust begins.” 3. “I teach people how to make others feel deeply heard — so that anger, defensiveness, and resistance simply melt away.” 4. “I teach leaders how to turn conflict into trust by mastering a skill called affect labeling — the neuroscience of listening to emotions rather than words.” 5. “I teach people a neuroscience-based skill that instantly calms anger and transforms difficult conversations into moments of connection.” 6. “Ever wish you could stop a fight before it starts — without saying a word? That’s what I teach people to do.” 7. “I teach people how to listen others into calm — because when emotions are heard, conflict disappears.” 8. “I help leaders transform tension into trust by listening to emotions, not words. It’s called affect labeling — and it changes everything about communication." Thanks.

1. Watch the 90‑second Welcome Video (embedded). 2. Introduce yourself with 3 lines: • Role/industry • One situation you want to de‑escalate • One thing you want this week. 3. Like or comment on two other intros. After you finish, open Communication Fundamentals (Lesson 1) to earn your first points.

It’s been a while since my last welcome post, and a lot of new people have joined since then. I’m glad you’re here. 🫶 Welcome to everyone who’s come aboard since mid-August: @Michael Tedesco (currently #1 in our leaderboards!🌟), @Troy Williams, @Elif Eksioglu, @Katie Vandenberg, @Santhosh Ebroo, @Christopher Mattox, @Jim Leonard, @Pegotty Cooper, @Zahra Dhanani, @Laura Umphrey, @Keri Gwynne, @LeeAnn Danner, @Angelika Kuhles, @Stephanie Anderson, @Kim Kristensen, @Christina Mercer, @Horatio Neely, @Winslow Brokaw, @Kris Lea, @Kevin Botterill, @Joash Nonis, @Julia Eberhardt, @Danyle Doubles, @R Johnson, @K S, @Tonya Mcpherson, @Lara Nosser, @Phạm Mai, @Alexis Clemans, @Jaspreet Singh, @Roxy Wie, @Mar Anglès, @Pebs Reedy-Paniora, @Jeanette Parker, @Aleceandria Harris, and @Roxy Wieschollek. Whew! 😅 Let me know if I missed anyone!

I'm posting this on LinkedIn tomorrow. We'll see what kind of reaction it gets: Let’s clear something up. “Woke” comes from the old slang for awake.To be woke is to be aware. Somewhere along the line, that got twisted into a political slur. But awareness—of self, others, and impact—is the foundation of effective leadership. If you’re leading people, being awake is not optional.It’s your job. Empathy is a form of wokeness.It’s the act of being awake to someone else’s emotional experience. When leaders listen and reflect emotions—what I call affect labeling—they calm conflict, create trust, and drive performance. The opposite of “woke” is “asleep.”And asleep leaders miss emotional data, destroy psychological safety, and drive their best people out the door. You can reject the politics around the word if you want.But reject awareness—and you’ll reject innovation, loyalty, and growth right along with it. The most profitable leaders are the most emotionally awake.That’s not politics. That’s neuroscience. Do you think “wokeness” has been unfairly vilified—or are we just uncomfortable with emotional self-awareness in business?

We’re working on creating a series of specialized De-escalation trainings — each one focused on a different real-world environment. Before we lock in the lineup, I’d love to hear from you. Which of these areas feels most relevant to you right now?