Conflict Assertiveness in High-Conflict Situations:
De-escalate, Activate Choices, Set Limits
Presented by Megan Hunter, CEO, High Conflict Institute
A Library 2.0 Service, Safety, and Security Webinar with Dr. Steve Albrecht
OVERVIEW:
This workshop focuses on helping all library employees to strengthen their conflict communication capability, even in the most challenging patron situations. Whether patrons are upset and anxious about their situation or a perceived injustice — or, at the other end of the spectrum, those who present with high-conflict traits and a strong focus on blame and intense emotions — anyone can connect to their concerns while applying a consistent, practical framework that supports existing library policies, provides good service, and keeps everyone safe.
Participants will learn to use structured communication tools to influence patron behavior by understanding the brain science behind unmanaged emotions, extreme behaviors, all-or-nothing thinking, and blaming. We will show how to apply CALMING Actions (EAR Statements—Empathy, Attention, Respect) to co-regulate; THINK Actions (proposals and options) to guide direction; and SLIC Solutions (setting limits and imposing consequences) to reinforce patron expectations and contain their behavior.
These skills keep conflict small and provide relief and confidence to all involved—skills useful for both life and work.
LEARNING AGENDA:
- Identify the interpersonal conflict dynamics of five “high conflict” personality types.
- Apply brain research to calming high-conflict emotions and behavior with EAR Statements and BIFF (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm) Responses.
- Apply four skills for calming patrons and focusing on problem-solving.
- Set limits on difficult patron behaviors while maintaining calm and cooperation.
DATE: Thursday, August 20th, 2026, 2:00 - 3:00 pm US - Eastern Time
COST:
- $99/person - includes live attendance and any-time access to the recording and the presentation slides and receiving a participation certificate.
- To arrange group discounts (see below), to submit a purchase order, or for any registration difficulties or questions, email admin@library20.com.
TO REGISTER:
Use the payment box above to register and pay. You can pay by credit card. You will receive an email within a day with information on how to attend the webinar live and how you can access the permanent webinar recording. If you are paying for someone else to attend, you'll be prompted to send an email to admin@library20.com with the name and email address of the actual attendee.If you need to be invoiced or pay by check, if you have any trouble registering for a webinar, or if you have any questions, please email admin@library20.com.
NOTE: Please check your spam folder if you don't receive your confirmation email within a day.
SPECIAL GROUP RATES (email admin@library20.com to arrange):
- Multiple individual log-ins and access from the same organization paid together: $75 each for 3+ registrations, $65 each for 5+ registrations. Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.
- The ability to show the webinar (live or recorded) to a group located in the same physical location or in the same virtual meeting from one log-in: $299.
- Large-scale institutional access for viewing with individual login capability: $499 (hosted either at Library 2.0 or in Niche Academy). Unlimited and non-expiring access for those log-ins.
Megan Hunter, MBA, is the co-founder and CEO of the High Conflict Institute and founder of www.ConflictInfluencer.com, co-created with Bill Eddy, the originator of the High Conflict Personality Theory.
With more than three decades of experience training professionals, Megan helps professionals understand, manage, and positively influence high-conflict behavior through advanced conflict communication skills.
Known globally as the Conflict Influencer, she has trained professionals across the U.S. and in fifteen countries.
She’s the co-author of Conflict-Ready: The Leader's Playbook for Building Organizations That Stop Paying the $365 Billion Conflict Tax; BIFF at Work, The High-Conflict Co-Parenting Survival Guide, and Dating Radar, and co-host of the podcast It’s All Your Fault!—bringing practical, real-world strategies for navigating conflict at work and in life.
Since 2000, Dr. Steve Albrecht has trained tens of thousands of library employees in 28+ states, live and online, in service, safety, security, and leadership. His programs for both staff and library leaders are fast, entertaining, and provide tools that can be put to use immediately in the library workspace. His books include:
The Library Leader’s Guide to Employee Coaching: Building a Performance Culture One Meeting at a Time (in-press, Bloomsbury, 2026)
The Library Leader’s Guide to Human Resources: Keeping it Real, Legal, and Ethical (Rowman & Littlefield, 2025)
The Safe Library: Keeping Users, Staff, and Collections Secure (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023)
Library Security: Better Communication, Safer Facilities (ALA, 2015)
Steve holds a doctoral degree in Business Administration (D.B.A.), an M.A. in Security Management, a B.S. in Psychology, and a B.A. in English. He is board-certified in HR, security management, employee coaching, and threat assessment. He has written 28 books on business, security, and leadership. He provides a loving home for four rescue dogs.
More on The Safe Library at thesafelibrary.com. Follow on X (Twitter) at @thesafelibrary and on YouTube @thesafelibrary. Dr. Albrecht's professional website is drstevealbrecht.com.
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