Cooler Heads: A Hostage Negotiator on How to De-escalate Tensions at Work

It's stressful out there—domestic politics. World events. The gap between everyone's opinions feels wider than ever before. That means many workers are on the brink, drowning in anger, isolation and anxiety, especially as emotions about what's happening out there spill into the workplace. As a result, customers have been yelled at, and conversations between workers and management have gotten intense and even contentious. At best, workplace relationships can feel strained. At worst—hostile and even violent. De-escalation once reserved for protests and hostile situations is required in the workplace. An NYPD hostage negotiator for 30 years, Wallace Zeins explains how the fundamentals of his work can be applied to business. He'll offer up tools to empower frontline managers, quell hot spots before they erupt and enable workers to ask for help before things boil over.