Dana Caspersen Talks About Navigating Conflict with Curiosity and Clarity

This episode is brought to you by Your Clockwise Week—a personalized weekly structure built around your actual life, not an ideal one. If your week feels full but not fitting, you can learn more at mikevardy.com/yourclockwiseweek.

In this episode of A Productive Conversation, I dive into a topic that’s often overlooked when discussing productivity: conflict. But not just any conversation about conflict — this one’s with Dana Caspersen, conflict engagement specialist, TEDx speaker, and author of Conflict Is an Opportunity: 20 Fundamental Decisions for Navigating Difficult Times.

Dana brings a rare combination of deep analytical insight and artistic fluency to the conversation, shaped by decades of work as both a mediator and an award-winning performing artist. We explore how the way we approach conflict — in work, relationships, and even with ourselves — is a direct reflection of how we manage time, attention, and energy.

Six Discussion Points

• Why conflict isn’t a distraction from productivity — it’s a part of it.
• The four fundamental elements of conflict: emotion, needs, interests, and strategies.
• How assumptions derail conversations and curiosity keeps them alive.
• Replacing complaints and demands with thoughtful requests.
• The role of journaling in conflict clarity and attention calibration.
• Dana’s “20 Decisions” framework and how to work with — not against — your conflict habits.

Three Connection Points

• Dana's website
• Get Conflict Is an Opportunity: Twenty Fundamental Decisions for Navigating Difficult Times
• Interested in a related conversation? Then also listen to Episode 354: How To Decide with Annie Duke

This episode reminded me that conflict isn’t something we need to fear or avoid — it’s something we can navigate with purpose. Dana’s thoughtful framework is more than theory; it’s a guide you can return to anytime you feel stuck, misunderstood, or simply out of sync. If you want to turn tension into transformation, this conversation is a must-listen.

If this episode resonated, I’m exploring ideas like these more deeply in my upcoming book, Productiveness. You can follow along as it takes shape at mikevardy.com/productiveness.