Conflict Managed

Ep 218, Habit Stacking

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Kevin Rice. Together we explore:
Crash course in running a business
Doing a temperature check
Yeilding to colleagues’ strengths
Developing and building trust
Great executive coaching
The CEOs & ABCs podcast
Being intentionally present
Practicing how to have difficult conversations
Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration
 
Kevin Rice is a founder and leadership advisor who knows firsthand how much intentional planning and sustained effort it takes to create healthy, genuinely human-centered workplaces. He grew Hathway from $0 to $42M in revenue, leading more than 200 people before the company was acquired. At Bounteous, he led growth efforts for a 5,000-person global team, deepening his understanding of scaling not just processes, but the cultures and leadership systems that actually allow people to thrive, even under real pressure.
 
What makes Kevin’s insight rare is that he’s lived through high-stakes conflict and culture-building, all while navigating a major personal transition to single parenthood at the peak of a hypergrowth phase. He now advises AI-driven companies and hosts the CEOs & ABCs podcast, where thousands of professionals tune in to hear about leadership, emotional intelligence, and building workplaces that don’t drain the very people you rely on.
 
Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.

Ep 217, The Stories That Build Us: Creating Healthy Workplace Culture

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Gavin McMahon. Together we explore:
Is this a technology problem or a people issue?
Formal vs. informal practices (how it should work vs. how it does work)
Boiling down business to the most basic parts
Leadership storytelling: leadership – the choices I make; storytelling – the amplification of those choices through stories
Developing collective good habits (culture) through storytelling
Building story narratives (showing), instead of telling
‘Why it’s good’ meetings
What’s better this week than next week? Improvement by inches.
Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration
Gavin McMahon builds things. Once, it was submarines, sports cars, and steel plants—big, complex systems built on logic and precise plans. But plans have a funny way of falling apart when people get involved.
As Gavin tried to figure out why, one truth became clear: People don’t move without a story. Business is more than just strategy and execution—it is persuasion and inspiration too. So he switched gears, traded engineering for business, and earned an MBA in Innovation, Strategy & Information Technology from the Institute Theseus in France.
Today, as CEO and co-founder of fassforward, he helps companies shape strategy, leadership, and culture through storytelling. Over the years, he’s worked with some of the world’s biggest brands and learned that even the best ideas will go nowhere if they aren’t told well. Now, he’s written a book about it, Story Business: Why Stories Rule the World and How They Can Reinvent Your Business.
In Story Business, Gavin McMahon takes you on a journey from ancient cave paintings to billion-dollar tech unicorns, revealing how storytelling is a powerful—and undervalued—tool for driving business success.
 
Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.
#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Connection #Podcast

Ep 216, Failure Is A Component Of Success

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Andre W. Thornton. Together we explore:
The gift of asking questions
Thinking through failure, and what it means
The 1440 method
What does your average perfect day look like?
O.S.E.ing
In conflict, there is always something to learn from the other person
People are likely to listen when they’ve heard
Leadership question: Why would someone volunteer to follow you?
Leaning into conflict to strengthen relationships
Andre’s new book, Disrupted
Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @3pconflictrestoration
Andre W. Thornton is the founder and CEO of Whitman Consulting, one of the top ten leadership-development firms in the US, which helps organizations grow their people faster than their challenges.
A former engineering director at Lockheed Martin, Andre spent sixteen years leading teams on advanced aircraft programs and capturing over $1 billion in new business before discovering his true calling: developing leaders.
His book, Disrupted, introduces the two stabilizers and seven accelerators that turn chaos into growth—a framework drawn from neuroscience, engineering, and two decades of coaching experience.
Andre helps executives and teams raise their baseline, shorten recovery, and lead with clarity in times of change. He lives in Maryland with his wife, Myesha, and their two children.
 
 
Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.
#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Connection #Podcast

Ep 215, Responsible Interaction With AI

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Michelle Hamilton. Together we explore:
What does it mean to be creative? And why is creativity important?
How to help people process and thrive with the extreme fast pace of change today
Holding ‘what’s in it for you?’ conversations at work about AI technologies
Seeing new technology as a great opportunity for intergenerational dialogue and collaboration
Valuing and listening to colleagues
Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration
After three decades leading major transformations, Michelle Hamilton started two AI companies to close that adoption gap. That work led her to AnswerRocket, an enterprise AI firm, who recruited her to build a new global division focused on practical AI adoption and change management. Michelle’s stance is clear: measurable business outcomes only happen when leadership bridges the gulf between innovation and everyday execution.
Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.
 
#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Podcast #AI

Ep 214, Strong Microcultures Build Thriving Organizations

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Artem Koren. Together we explore:
The communication skills leaders will need now and into the future
The impact of AI on work, learning, and human connection
Technology, isolation, and the growing challenge of workplace loneliness
How strong microcultures shape and strengthen organizational culture
Why drive and initiative matter in effective leadership
Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration.
Artem Koren is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Sembly AI, where he is building a new category of meeting intelligence and enablement technology for professional services teams. With a background spanning systems engineering, enterprise consulting, and product leadership, Artem combines deep technical expertise with a strong understanding of how organizations operate—transforming everyday business conversations into structured insights that drive revenue, delivery, and decision-making.
Sembly, which Artem co-founded in 2019, leverages advanced natural language understanding to turn meetings into a source of operational intelligence—powering sales enablement, improving client delivery workflows, and helping teams capture and act on critical business information at scale.
Artem is passionate about using AI to augment human potential, enabling teams to work smarter, collaborate more effectively, and unlock value hidden within their day-to-day interactions. His work sits at the intersection of AI, enterprise productivity, and the future of knowledge work—pushing beyond simple automation toward systems that actively support how organizations sell, deliver, and grow.
Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.
#ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Podcast #AI

Ep 213, Disrupt Conflict Patterns That Aren’t Working: Exhale. Explore. Engage.

This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Masha Rusanov. Together we explore:
Identifying your default conflict patternWhat happens when you break your usual conflict scriptListening to the body’s “yes” and “no” signals in difficult conversationsLimiting beliefs that keep conflict cycles goingFinding 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

Ep 212, Us vs. Them at Work? There’s a Better Way

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

Ep 211, Breathe: Practicing Mental Hygiene

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.

Ep 210, Say It Clearly: Discrimination and Harassment Will Not Be Tolerated

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

Ep 209, Midcareer Development

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