Conflict Managed

Merry Brown
  • 4.9 (14)
  • Management
  • Updated Weekly

Conflict Managed is a podcast about toxic workplaces and how to fix them. Listen to stories of dysfunction and triumph from different walks of life and professions. Join us on the journey as we talk about the good, bad, and ugly of our work environments and discuss a vision for the future of human-centered workplaces where people are not only treated with dignity and respect but encouraged to be their brilliant selves. Managing Conflict is not magic, though it takes intentional and sustained planning for health to win over chaos in any environment. Conflict is normal and expected. Let’s deal with it.

  1. 1d ago

    Ep 219, When You Are The Bystander

    This week on Conflict Managed we welcome Celeste Warren. Together we explore: Looking out for colleagues When to speak up and why Setting expectations in ‘after hours’ events When there’s a problem or conflict at work: are you losing sleep over it? Are they? Resilience and the ability to articulate issues and problems Expecting failure and mistakes on the path to success Celeste’s new book, The Truth about Equity: What It Really Is, What It Isn’t and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right The power of equity in conflict management Conflict Managed is available wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube @ 3pconflictrestoration Celeste Warren is a visionary leader who had an impressive 28-year tenure at a global Fortune 100 company, where she rose to the esteemed position of Vice President and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. During her decade-long leadership of the Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence, Celeste implemented groundbreaking initiatives that fostered a culture of inclusivity and equity, setting new standards in the industry. After her retirement, Celeste founded Celeste Warren Consulting, LLC, where she passionately continues her mission to reshape the landscape of diversity and inclusion. Her consulting services empower organizations to create fair and equitable opportunities for all, driving meaningful change and enhancing workplace culture. In addition to her consulting work, Celeste, alongside her two children, established Destination STEM, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing vital resources and support to students of color and those in need pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).Throughout her illustrious career, Celeste has championed diversity, equity, and inclusion on a global scale, elevating the importance of understanding diverse cultures, perspectives, and beliefs within corporate strategies. Her visionary approach not only reshaped internal culture but also influenced the broader business landscape, empowering organizations worldwide to embrace inclusivity as a cornerstone of success. She has recently published her second book entitled “The Truth About Equity, What It Really Is, What It Isn’t and Why Everyone Wins When We Get It Right.”   Conflict Managed is produced by Third Party Workplace Conflict Restoration Services and hosted by Merry Brown.   #ConflictManagement #WorkplaceCulture #Communication #Podcast

  2. Jul 7

    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.

  3. Jun 30

    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

  4. Jun 23

    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

  5. Jun 16

    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

  6. Jun 9

    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

  7. Jun 2

    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 pattern What happens when you break your usual conflict script Listening to the body’s “yes” and “no” signals in difficult conversations Limiting beliefs that keep conflict cycles going Finding 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

  8. May 26

    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

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4.9
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Conflict Managed is a podcast about toxic workplaces and how to fix them. Listen to stories of dysfunction and triumph from different walks of life and professions. Join us on the journey as we talk about the good, bad, and ugly of our work environments and discuss a vision for the future of human-centered workplaces where people are not only treated with dignity and respect but encouraged to be their brilliant selves. Managing Conflict is not magic, though it takes intentional and sustained planning for health to win over chaos in any environment. Conflict is normal and expected. Let’s deal with it.

Information

  • Creator
    Merry Brown
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2022 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Conflict Managed

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