Avoiders vs. seekers: know your default

Do difficult conversations keep you up at night, or do they make you want to avoid conflict altogether? In this episode, I sit down with workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo, author of Getting Along, to talk about how healthy conflict actually strengthens trust, decision-making, and leadership confidence. We dive into how our brains get emotionally hijacked during difficult conversations, how avoidance creates “conflict debt,” and why learning to stay grounded in discomfort may be one of the most important leadership skills we can build. Tune in to learn how to face conflict calmly to reduce anxiety and make you a more confident leader.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why conflict feels especially hard for anxious achievers.

04:30 How avoiding conflict increases anxiety.

06:15 What happens during an emotional “amygdala hijack”?

08:00 The cost of conflict avoidance and conflict debt.

10:30 How difficult conversations build confidence over time.

12:30 What is the role of shame and fear in workplace conflict?

17:00 How to practice conflict safely in low-stakes situations.

22:30 The 4-step framework for handling conflict better.

27:30 Finding shared goals during disagreement.

32:15 What to do when conflict keeps you up at night.

34:15 How to repair conversations that went badly.

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Amy’s book Getting Along HERE

Learn more about Amy Gallo HERE

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam

Follow Amy: on LinkedIn @amyegallo + Instagram @amyegallo