The Anxious Achiever Do Conflict Better With Amy Gallo
Feb 26, 2026
Amy Gallo, workplace conflict expert and longtime HBR editor, offers practical frameworks for handling difficult conversations. Hear why conflict can strengthen trust and decision-making. Learn about amygdala hijacks, conflict avoidance and “conflict debt,” practicing low-stakes conversations, and a four-step approach to stay grounded and communicate more confidently.
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Amygdala Hijack Explains Why Good Intentions Fail
- Amy Gallo explains amygdala hijack shuts down rational thought during conflict.
- The prefrontal cortex is trumped by the amygdala, so intentions vanish and you react instead of respond.
Avoiding Conflict Creates Mounting Conflict Debt
- Avoiding conflict creates 'conflict debt' that festers and grows harder to address.
- Delay makes issues worse, increases anxiety, and reduces chances of reaching good decisions or preserving relationships.
Think Of The Problem As A Third Party In Conflict
- Reframe conflict as a three-party problem: you, the other person, and the decision or question at hand.
- Shifting focus to the shared problem reduces shame and turns disagreement into joint problem-solving.
