BusinessManagementEducationSelf-ImprovementCareers

Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack

Dr. Jeremy Pollack

The Workplace Conflict Resolution Podcast! Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack, featuring host Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., is the podcast that aims to help you improve work relationships and manage difficult conflicts.

Dr. Pollack discusses the science of workplace conflict and peace and presents short courses and quick tips with practical techniques to resolve conflicts in daily life.

In his "Caller" episodes," Dr. Pollack takes callers from around the country who are dealing with stressful work relationships to provide coaching and support in solving the workplace issues that are burdening them. You will learn practical advice for managing the conflicts both up and down the corporate ladder in your own life.

Not only will you learn practical tools for resolving your own conflicts, but you’ll also no longer feel so alone in the stressful situations YOU are experiencing.

Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems

More from Jeremy:

Play

Open in

32 episodes
weekly
Avg 9 min
English

Episodes 32

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Yesterday · 12 min
9 Reasons for Workplace Anxiety and What to Do
Workplace anxiety isn't always about stress, and managing it requires more than taking a deep breath. Whether you're dealing with a difficult boss, an overwhelming workload, job insecurity, or workplace conflict, understanding what's causing your anxiety is the first step toward addressing it. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack, social-organizational psychologist and CEO of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems, explores nine common causes of workplace anxiety and shares practical strategies for managing each one. From setting boundaries with difficult coworkers and handling upset customers to clarifying expectations, navigating uncertainty, and managing the emotional demands of high-stress professions, Jeremy explains why different sources of anxiety require different approaches. You'll learn how small, specific actions can help you regain a sense of control, reduce workplace stress, and create a healthier relationship with your work. Learn more: Explore workplace conflict resolution and training: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com Discover Jeremy's book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts Contact Pollack Peacebuilding Systems for a free consultation about workplace conflict or conflict management training. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
October 26 · 9 min
How to Create Peace After a Workplace Investigation
A workplace investigation may be closed, but that doesn't necessarily mean the conflict is resolved. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack explores why workplace investigations, while important for determining facts and guiding employment decisions, often leave behind unresolved tension, resentment, and damaged relationships. Whether allegations are substantiated or not, employees and teams may still struggle with trust, uncertainty, and lingering conflict. Without intentional efforts to address those issues, the workplace can remain divided long after the investigation ends. He discusses why investigations alone aren't designed to repair relationships, what HR and leadership should consider before findings are delivered, and practical steps for rebuilding trust and helping teams move forward. Because closing a case isn't always the same as creating peace. This episode draws from Jeremy's book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Need help rebuilding trust or resolving workplace conflict after an investigation? Schedule a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
October 19 · 8 min
How to Manage Anxiety with a Difficult Boss
A difficult boss can create a lot of workplace anxiety, but different management styles can create very different kinds of stress. In this episode, I break down five common types: the anxious manager, moody manager, angry manager, avoidant manager, and micromanager. We will explore how each can affect your nervous system, and I'll offer practical strategies for responding without simply absorbing your boss’s stress. You’ll learn why an anxious manager’s urgency doesn’t have to become yours, how to stop trying to predict a moody manager, ways to get clearer feedback from an avoidant boss, and how proactive communication can help when you’re being micromanaged. The goal isn’t necessarily to change your boss. It’s to recognize the dynamic, understand your own response, and focus on what you can control. This episode draws from Jeremy’s book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Schedule a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
October 12 · 7 min
How AI Is Causing Coworker Conflict
Could AI be contributing to some of the tension showing up between coworkers? In this episode, we explore two ways AI may be influencing workplace conflict. First, uncertainty about jobs and the future of work can leave people more on edge, potentially lowering the threshold for tension and disagreement. Then there’s a less obvious issue: the growing tendency to use AI to draft responses during difficult conversations. When emotionally charged exchanges turn into a back-and-forth of polished, AI-generated messages, we may lose some of the human contact needed to actually work through the conflict. We will discuss what leaders can do to communicate about AI when they don’t have all the answers, why transparency matters during uncertain times, and how coworkers can use AI without outsourcing the human side of difficult conversations. AI can be an incredibly useful tool. But when emotions are involved, sometimes the better move is simply to talk to each other. This episode draws from Jeremy’s book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Schedule a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
October 5 · 7 min
When an Operational Problem Turns Into Conflict
Two coworkers can’t stand each other. By the time the issue lands on HR’s desk, it looks like a classic personality clash. But what if that’s not actually how the conflict started? A surprising amount of what gets labeled “interpersonal conflict” at work begins with something operational: unclear roles, overlapping responsibilities, undefined authority, poor processes, or expectations that were never clearly communicated. Leave those issues unresolved long enough, and people start assigning motives to each other. Frustration becomes resentment. Eventually, an operational problem becomes a relationship problem too. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack breaks down why workplace conflict is so often misdiagnosed and what leaders should look at before assuming two people simply don’t get along. You’ll learn how unclear roles can turn into personal conflict, why fixing the operational issue late may no longer be enough, the three questions Dr. Pollack asks when diagnosing workplace conflict, and why ambiguity and organizational chaos almost inevitably create friction. If you work in HR, manage a team, or lead an organization, this episode offers a practical way to look beneath the conflict you’re seeing and identify what may actually be driving it. This episode draws from Jeremy’s book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Learn how Pollack Peacebuilding Systems can help: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., is a social-organizational psychologist and founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. He helps people and organizations rewire the way they understand and handle conflict. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
September 28 · 9 min
When You Can't Predict The Boss's Behavior
We hear all the time that trust takes years to build and seconds to break. But what actually is trust? One useful way to think about it is as a perception of safety. Not necessarily physical safety, but the sense that the people and environment around us are stable enough to predict. That has important implications for leadership. A boss whose mood changes dramatically from one day to the next may not think they’re doing anything wrong. But employees learn quickly. If bringing a problem to you gets a thoughtful response one day and irritation the next, people may eventually decide it’s safer not to bring you problems at all. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack explores the connection between trust, predictability, and the brain’s response to uncertainty. He breaks down how inconsistent leadership behaviors can undermine trust, why silence during uncertain times often creates more anxiety rather than less, and how giving people greater agency and choice can help restore a sense of safety. Because leaders can’t always give people certainty. Sometimes, you don’t know what’s going to happen either, but you can control how consistently you communicate, how you respond when people come to you, and whether your team knows what they can expect from you. If you lead a team, manage people, or work in HR, this episode offers a different way to think about how trust is built and how easily everyday leadership behaviors can erode it. This episode draws from Jeremy’s book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Learn how Pollack Peacebuilding Systems can help: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., is a social-organizational psychologist and founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. He helps people and organizations rewire the way they understand and handle conflict. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
September 21 · 12 min
7 Brain States When You Should NOT Try to Resolve a Conflict
We spend a lot of time learning how to resolve conflict. But knowing when not to try may be just as important. In this episode, we will explore seven brain states that can compromise our ability to navigate conflict effectively: from being tired, hungry, or chronically stressed to feeling emotionally escalated, having an unmet core need, being under the influence, or trying to resolve an issue in front of an audience. Each of these states can interfere with the reasoning, empathy, perspective-taking, and self-control that productive conflict resolution requires. I'll break down the neuroscience behind these seven states, how to recognize when your thinking brain isn’t operating at its best, and what to do instead of forcing a difficult conversation at the wrong time. Sometimes good conflict resolution isn’t about knowing what to say. It’s knowing when you’re ready to say it. This episode draws from Jeremy’s new book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Need help resolving conflict in your workplace? Schedule a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
September 14 · 10 min
Conflict Isn’t a Problem to Avoid—It’s an Opportunity Your Brain Is Trained to Misread
Why does conflict feel threatening even when we know intellectually that disagreement can be productive? In this episode, we explore how repeated negative experiences with conflict can condition the brain to associate interpersonal friction with stress and danger. Over time, that response can become automatic: tension appears, the nervous system reacts, and we may start defending, avoiding, or escalating before we’ve fully considered what’s happening. But conflict isn’t only a source of risk. Friction is also where we learn, adapt, clarify boundaries, solve problems, and generate new ideas. Conflict creates oppositional energy, and that energy can become destructive or constructive depending, in part, on how we respond to it. I'll break down the psychology and neuroscience behind our conditioned responses to conflict, why grounded optimism can improve the way we approach difficult conversations, and how we can begin retraining ourselves to recognize conflict as a moment of potential rather than simply a threat. In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why the brain can become conditioned to associate conflict with danger • How past conflict experiences influence present-day reactions • Why tension and disagreement can contribute to growth and creativity • The difference between blind optimism and grounded expectations about conflict • How our interpretation of conflict can influence the way we respond to it • Why regulating conflict can turn friction into an opportunity to learn, adapt, and create Conflict may never feel comfortable, and the goal isn’t to pretend that it does. The goal is to become better at recognizing what else might be possible when tension arises. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
September 7 · 10 min
Conflict Isn't a Problem to Avoid—It's an Opportunity Your Brain Is Trained to Misread
“We should look at this as an opportunity.” You’ve probably heard some version of that about conflict, and it may have sounded like a platitude. Opportunities are things we want. How could conflict possibly be one of them? In this episode, we explore why we may not want conflict, but we often need it to grow, learn, and create meaningful change. The problem is that years of difficult experiences can train our brains to associate conflict almost entirely with threat. But that association isn’t the whole story. I’ll break down the neuroscience behind why our expectations going into conflict matter. When we believe a positive outcome is possible, optimism engages brain systems associated with motivation and persistence while reducing the threat response that can push us toward defensiveness or shutdown. That shift makes it easier to stay open, think clearly, and work toward a solution, and research on negotiation shows that people who expect something constructive from conflict tend to communicate and collaborate more effectively. That doesn’t mean simply deciding that every conflict is “an opportunity.” There’s an important condition that has to come first, and without it, optimism can become denial. I'll also explain where that line is and offer a practical way to begin changing your own relationship with conflict. This episode explores one of the seven principles from Jeremy’s new book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Pollack Peacebuilding Systems helps organizations resolve conflict, strengthen communication, and build healthier workplaces. Learn more or request a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com About Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D. Jeremy is a social-organizational psychologist and the founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. He helps people and organizations better understand what drives conflict—and develop practical ways to handle it more effectively. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
August 31 · 12 min
Brain States When You Should NOT Try to Resolve a Conflict
We spend a lot of time learning how to resolve conflict. But almost nobody talks about when not to. Sometimes, the smartest thing you can do in a difficult conversation is wait. In this episode, I break down seven brain states that can compromise our ability to communicate clearly, regulate our reactions, and actually resolve anything. Being tired or hungry can weaken self-control. Chronic stress can leave us hypervigilant and more likely to perceive threats. And when we’re actively escalated, the parts of the brain we rely on for reasoning, perspective, and impulse control become harder to access. Other factors are less obvious. An unmet need for safety, belonging, or self-worth can put us on the defensive before a conversation even begins. And simply having an audience can quietly shift the goal from resolving the issue to defending ourselves or winning. I'll also explain the neuroscience behind all seven states, how to recognize when you’re not in the right state for a difficult conversation, and what to do instead. Because knowing when to address a conflict can be just as important as knowing how. This episode draws from Jeremy’s new book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Pollack Peacebuilding Systems helps organizations resolve conflict, strengthen communication, and build healthier workplaces. Learn more or request a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com About Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D. Jeremy is a social-organizational psychologist and the founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. He helps people and organizations better understand what drives conflict—and develop practical ways to handle it more effectively. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
August 24 · 16 min
Why Bad News Is Addictive (Doomscrolling)—and What to Do About
It’s late. You’re tired. Every headline makes you feel worse, and somehow you still can’t stop scrolling. Why is bad news so hard to put down? In this episode, I break down the neuroscience behind doomscrolling and why it has less to do with willpower than we might think. Our brains evolved to pay close attention to potential threats, but today that ancient survival system has access to something it was never designed to handle: an endless stream of alarming information. We will explore how negativity bias makes threatening information feel especially important, while threat bias keeps our attention locked onto potential danger. Then there’s dopamine, not simply a “pleasure chemical,” but part of the brain’s motivation and pursuit system, which can keep us searching for the next piece of information, especially when we don’t know what we’ll find. Add in the body’s own stress response, and the cycle can become self-reinforcing. You read something alarming. Your body reacts. Those uncomfortable sensations can make the world feel even more threatening, which gives your brain another reason to keep searching for information. The problem? Most of what we encounter while doomscrolling isn’t something we can actually do anything about. Our nervous system prepares us to respond to a threat, but there’s often no meaningful action to take. So how do you break the cycle without feeling like you’re choosing ignorance, or that putting down your phone means you simply don’t care? I will help you rethink your relationship with bad news, recognize when staying informed has turned into compulsive threat monitoring, and learn how to step away without disengaging from the things that genuinely matter. This episode draws from Jeremy’s new book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Pollack Peacebuilding Systems helps organizations resolve conflict, strengthen communication, and build healthier workplaces. Learn more or request a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com About Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D. Jeremy is a social-organizational psychologist and the founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. His work focuses on helping people and organizations understand conflict more deeply and use practical, neuroscience-informed strategies to handle it more effectively. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
August 19 · 9 min
Why We Can't Look Away From a Public Meltdown
You know you probably shouldn’t watch. A celebrity melting down. A viral argument. A stranger losing it in a parking lot while someone films. Some part of you knows it’s none of your business, and yet, you watch the whole thing. Maybe you even send it to a friend. So why are public meltdowns so hard to look away from? In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack breaks down the neuroscience behind our fascination with other people’s public conflicts. Our brains are wired to detect threats, and negativity bias naturally pulls our attention toward anything that seems dangerous, unpredictable, or socially significant. For most of human history, paying attention to conflict within the group was useful information. Who’s angry? Who’s dangerous? Who broke the rules? What does this mean for me? But there’s an important distinction: watching this kind of drama doesn’t necessarily feel good. In fact, it often makes us uncomfortable. The pull isn’t always about pleasure; it’s about information, and that discomfort can actually be part of what keeps our attention locked in. The problem is that this ancient system evolved to keep track of a relatively small social world. Today, technology can feed it an endless stream of conflict involving strangers whose lives have little or nothing to do with ours, and our brains aren’t particularly good at recognizing the difference. This episode draws from Jeremy’s new book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 📘 Get Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC Dealing with conflict on your team or in your workplace? Pollack Peacebuilding Systems helps organizations resolve conflict, strengthen communication, and build healthier workplaces. Learn more or request a free consultation: https://pollackpeacebuilding.com About Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D. Jeremy is a social-organizational psychologist and the founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. His work focuses on helping people and organizations understand conflict more deeply and use practical, neuroscience-informed strategies to handle it more effectively. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
August 13 · 12 min
Why Online Arguments Are Impossible to Win (Neurologically)
Why do online arguments seem to go nowhere? You start with the hope of having a thoughtful discussion. Minutes later, you're frustrated, the other person is even more entrenched, and neither of you has changed your mind. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack explains why that's not simply a failure of communication, it's the way our brains respond to online interaction. Drawing on neuroscience, he explores how text strips away tone, facial expressions, body language, and other essential cues our brains rely on to interpret meaning. Without them, we naturally fill in the blanks with our own assumptions, often interpreting neutral messages as hostile or dismissive. Dr. Pollack also explores how anonymity, public audiences, and social media dynamics make productive conflict resolution even more difficult, creating environments that often reward winning over understanding. You'll learn: Why our brains misinterpret written communication How online environments amplify conflict Why public debates make changing minds even harder A simple rule for deciding when a difficult conversation should happen offline instead This episode is based on one of the seven neuroscience-based principles from Jeremy's book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts, offering practical insights you can use in your work, relationships, and everyday conversations. 📘 Learn more about Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. If your organization is looking to improve communication, reduce conflict, and build healthier workplace cultures, learn more at https://pollackpeacebuilding.com. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
August 10 · 9 min
The Neuroscience of Road Rage
Why do calm, reasonable people sometimes become furious behind the wheel? In this episode, Jeremy Pollack explores the neuroscience of road rage and explains why driving creates the perfect conditions for our brain's threat response to take over. Learn how biases like hostile attribution bias and the fundamental attribution error cause us to interpret other drivers' actions as personal attacks, why stress makes these reactions even more likely, and how nervous system regulation can help interrupt the cycle. Most importantly, Jeremy shares one surprisingly simple strategy that can dramatically reduce the likelihood of road rage before your drive even begins. Whether you're interested in neuroscience, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, or simply becoming a calmer driver, this episode offers practical, research-informed insights you can apply immediately. To learn more, visit pollackpeacebuilding.com or explore Jeremy's book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
July 30 · 5 min
How Politicians Use Threats to Rewire Your Brain
Why do fear-based political messages work so well? The answer has less to do with politics than with neuroscience. In this episode, Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., explores how fear-based messaging can shape the brain and why it is such a powerful tool for influencing beliefs and behavior. Drawing on neuroscience and the principles from his new book, Wired for Peace, Jeremy explains how neuroplasticity allows the brain to form new patterns during moments of heightened emotional arousal. When political leaders, media personalities, or online influencers repeatedly frame the world as dangerous and present themselves as the source of safety, they may be conditioning audiences to associate them with nervous system regulation. This episode explores: How fear accelerates the brain's learning process Why threat-based messaging is so persuasive How the same psychological mechanisms extend beyond politics into media and online content A practical way to become more aware of these patterns without disengaging from important issues Rather than telling you what to think, this conversation offers a framework for understanding how our brains respond to fear and how greater awareness can help us make more intentional choices. 📘 Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts is available now. If you're looking to build healthier conflict dynamics within your team or organization, learn more about Pollack Peacebuilding Systems and schedule a free consultation at pollackpeacebuilding.com. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
July 27 · 6 min
The Prediction That Will Change How Companies Handle Conflict in the Next 10 Years
The way organizations handle conflict is about to change, and the companies that recognize it first will have a significant advantage. Unresolved workplace conflict costs U.S. businesses an estimated $359 billion every year in lost productivity. Not because of lawsuits or turnover, but because people struggle to navigate tension effectively. In this episode, Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., shares his prediction for how conflict resolution will evolve over the next decade and why traditional communication and conflict training often falls short. The missing piece? Most approaches assume people stay calm and rational during conflict. Neuroscience tells us otherwise. Drawing from his new book, Wired for Peace, Jeremy explores: Why conventional conflict training is quietly failing The three forces already reshaping how organizations approach conflict The shift forward-thinking leaders should prepare for now The one question every leader should ask before investing in another communication workshop Whether you lead a team, manage an organization, or simply want a better way to navigate difficult conversations, this episode offers a practical, science-based perspective on the future of conflict resolution. 📘 Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts is available now. If your organization is ready to transform the way it handles conflict, learn more about Pollack Peacebuilding Systems and schedule a free consultation at pollackpeacebuilding.com. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
July 27 · 9 min
The SAPIEN Model: The 6 Needs Behind Every Fight You've Ever Had
What if the conflict you're dealing with isn't really about the schedule, the budget, or that comment someone made in a meeting? Most conflicts begin on the surface, but they're driven by something much deeper. In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack introduces the SAPIEN Model—a neuroscience-informed framework for understanding the six core psychological needs that shape human behavior and drive conflict. You'll learn how threats to these needs can trigger the brain in ways that closely resemble threats to physical survival, making even small disagreements feel intensely personal. In this episode, you'll discover: What the six psychological needs in the SAPIEN Model are: Safety Affiliation Positive Self-Concept Independence Engaging Activities Noble Pursuits Why unmet psychological needs often lie beneath everyday disagreements How understanding these needs makes conflict more predictable and more solvable The one simple question you can ask to uncover what's really driving almost any conflict, whether it's your own or someone else's Once you begin to recognize these six needs, conflict stops feeling random and starts becoming readable. That shift can transform the way you approach difficult conversations at work, at home, and everywhere in between. This episode explores one of the foundational ideas behind Jeremy's book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. If you're interested in building healthier relationships, leading more effectively, or resolving conflict with greater confidence, this episode offers a practical framework you can begin using immediately. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
July 24 · 7 min
The 5 Cs of Conflict Resolution: Secrets of a Peacebuilder
Why do some people seem able to step into almost any conflict and help people find a way forward? It isn't magic. It's actually a set of learnable skills. In this episode, Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., introduces the 5 Cs of Conflict Resolution—the essential capacities that professional peacebuilders rely on to navigate difficult conversations and transform conflict into collaboration. You'll learn how curiosity, communication, care, collaboration, and creativity work together to create better outcomes, whether you're leading a team, navigating workplace disagreements, or working through conflict at home. These five skills all depend on your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for thoughtful decision-making, empathy, and problem-solving. When stress or conflict escalates, that part of the brain becomes less accessible, making it harder to respond the way you want to. That's why understanding the neuroscience behind conflict is just as important as learning conflict resolution techniques. This episode explores one of the seven neuroscience-based principles from Jeremy's new book, Wired for Peace: Using 7 Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts, offering practical insights you can begin applying immediately. In this episode, you'll learn: The five core skills every effective peacebuilder develops Why curiosity is often more powerful than persuasion How neuroscience explains why conflict can derail good communication The hidden prerequisite that makes all five Cs possible Practical ways to improve conflict resolution in leadership, work, and everyday life 📘 Get your copy of Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC 📘 Get your copy of Wired for Peace: https://a.co/d/02XFwbCC 🤝 Looking to improve conflict resolution in your organization? Learn more about Pollack Peacebuilding Systems or schedule a free consultation at https://pollackpeacebuilding.com. Jeremy Pollack, Ph.D., is a social-organizational psychologist, speaker, author, and the founder of Pollack Peacebuilding Systems. Through neuroscience-based training and consulting, he helps leaders, teams, and organizations transform conflict into opportunities for stronger communication, collaboration, and lasting peace. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
July 22 · 10 min
Train Your Brain to Stay Calm During Conflict
What if the person who frustrates you most could actually help you become better at handling conflict? In this episode, Dr. Jeremy Pollack introduces a surprising neuroscience-based exercise that uses a controlled trigger, like a podcaster, news anchor, or public figure who reliably irritates you, to train your brain to respond more calmly and constructively during real-life disagreements. Rather than avoiding conflict, you'll learn how to use manageable moments of tension to recondition your nervous system, build emotional resilience, and prepare for the conversations that matter most. In this episode, you'll learn: Why certain people trigger such strong emotional reactions How your brain conditions itself to associate conflict with threat A four-step process for rewiring your response to difficult conversations Why self-regulation is more effective than suppressing your emotions How to transform conflict from something you dread into an opportunity for growth This episode explores one of the seven neuroscience-based principles from Dr. Jeremy Pollack's book, Wired for Peace: Using Seven Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts. Whether you're navigating workplace disagreements, family tension, or challenging conversations in everyday life, this practical exercise will help you strengthen your ability to stay calm, curious, and constructive when conflict arises. Resources Wired for Peace: Using Seven Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts Learn more about Pollack Peacebuilding Systems or schedule a complimentary consultation at PollackPeacebuilding.com If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who wants to build greater resilience and confidence in difficult conversations. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn
July 20 · 20 min
7 Neuroscience-Based Principles That Can Transform How You Handle Conflict
Why do so many conflict resolution strategies work for a while only to fall apart when emotions run high? According to Dr. Jeremy Pollack, the missing piece isn't better communication. It's understanding the brain and the nervous system. Until we address conflict at that level, lasting resolution remains difficult to achieve. In this foundational episode, Dr. Pollack introduces the seven neuroscience-based principles that form the core of his Wired for Peace framework. Drawing on years of experience mediating conflicts between executives, business partners, workplace teams, couples, and families, he explains how understanding the brain can fundamentally change the way we approach disagreement. In this episode, you'll learn: Why conflict resolution begins with regulating the nervous system How to retrain your brain to see conflict as an opportunity rather than a threat Why curiosity is more powerful than certainty during difficult conversations How trust is built through small, consistent moments, not grand gestures The difference between care and trust, and why both matter Why humans are biologically wired for collaboration How creative thinking helps break through seemingly impossible conflicts These seven principles form the foundation of Dr. Jeremy Pollack's book, Wired for Peace: Using Seven Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts, offering a practical, science-based roadmap for resolving conflict in the workplace, at home, and in every important relationship. Whether you're a leader, manager, HR professional, mediator, or simply someone who wants to navigate conflict with greater confidence and clarity, this episode provides a powerful introduction to a neuroscience-based approach to building lasting peace. Resources Wired for Peace: Using Seven Neuroscience-Based Principles to Resolve Conflicts Learn more about Pollack Peacebuilding Systems or schedule a complimentary consultation at PollackPeacebuilding.com If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who's ready to transform the way they think about conflict. 🎧 Listen now to learn how building conflict competency can transform tension into trust, alignment, and stronger performance. Connect with Me 🌐 Website: PollackPeacebuilding.com 🌐 Dr. Pollack’s Courses: peacefulleadersacademy.com/courses/ 📧 Email: support@pollackpeacebuilding.com 📱 LinkedIn: Jeremy Pollack 📣 Subscribe & Share: If this episode resonated, share it with a colleague or leader. Follow Peacebuilding with Dr. Pollack for practical tools that create healthier, more effective workplaces. Host: Dr. Jeremy Pollack from Pollack Peacebuilding Systems More from Dr. Pollack: Peaceful Leaders Academy Conflict Resolution Playbook: Practical Communication Skills for Preventing, Managing, and Resolving Conflict FREE e-book: The Ultimate 12-Step Guide to Coworker Mediation: Free Ebook - Pollack Peacebuilding Systems Connect with Dr. Pollack on social media: Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn

Showing 1–20 of 32 episodes