Next Element

06/24/2026

Leaders think they handle conflict well.

Employees disagree.

𝗙𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁…

These are just some of the findings from our latest 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵.

This gap is fueled by:

🔵 Misaligned definitions of trust and conflict

🟢 Overreliance on personal style

🔵 Training that doesn’t translate into real behavior

🟢 Experience without feedback

The result:

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

A critical missing capability is what we call “𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲,” the ability to stay grounded and constructive under pressure instead of defaulting to attack, blame, avoidance, or over-accommodation.

If trust is declining, conflict is increasing, and leaders believe they're doing better than employees think they are, what does that mean for your organization?

Read the full research report to discover what the data reveals and what leaders can do about it 👇

https://www.next-element.com/trust-and-conflict/

06/23/2026

If you lead learning, facilitate training, coach leaders, or design professional development experiences, you’ve likely seen it:

🟢 Some learners lean in

🔵 Some take risks and grow

🟢 While others resist, disengage, or avoid accountability

Join us for an engaging webinar based on Nate Regier's featured article in the Association for Talent Development - ATD's, TD Magazine:

𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗨𝗽 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆, 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

If you've ever thought any of the below, this webinar is for you:

🔵 Why do some learning struggles create transformation while others create resistance?

🟢 How do we create psychologically safe environments without lowering accountability?

🔵 We need fresh ideas for creating more transformational learning experiences!

We look forward to welcoming you on:

📆 July 15th

🕙 10am CT

💻 Online

Don't forget to register your details on the event link below and add it to your diaries.

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9iH8Gx7MTfKSIlOkQlB6Hg #/registration

See you there!

06/23/2026

Welcome to the newest members of the Compassionate Accountability® Certified Coach community:

Janet Andrews, ACC, Founder at CONSOCIATA and

Jill Beckman, Principal Consultant at Beckman Consulting, LLC

Both Janet and Jill bring decades of leadership, executive coaching, and human resources experience to their work and have chosen to deepen their impact through Compassionate Accountability.

What makes this certification unique is that it goes beyond helping people understand conflict.

It equips coaches and leaders with practical tools to assess and develop the Compassion Skills that help people build connection, and get results, especially when the stakes are high.

In workplaces everywhere, leaders are being asked to navigate increasing complexity, tension, and change.

Technical expertise alone isn't enough. The ability to stay connected to others while remaining accountable for results has become a critical leadership skill.

By becoming Compassionate Accountability Certified Coaches, Janet and Jill are expanding their ability to help leaders:

✅ Increase their Drama Resilience
✅ Navigate conflict into something productive with less Drama
✅ Build trust and accountability together
✅ Create cultures where people feel valuable, capable, and responsible

Congratulations, Janet and Jill. We are grateful to have you as part of the growing global Compassionate Accountability community and look forward to the impact you'll have in the lives of leaders, teams, and organizations.

Together, we're working toward a future where Compassionate Accountability becomes the norm in every workplace.

Join us in celebrating their achievement and wish them every success on their coaching journeys!

06/22/2026

Why smart people still get defensive...

Intelligence doesn't make us immune to Drama.

In fact, some of the smartest, most experienced, and highly educated people can struggle the most when they feel challenged, criticised, or under pressure.

Why?

Because defensiveness isn't an intelligence problem, it's a Drama Resilience problem.

When emotions are allowed to take over, even brilliant people can slip into blame, justification, avoidance, control, or withdrawal.

These reactions may protect us in the moment, but they often damage trust, weaken relationships, and make conflict harder to navigate.

True Drama Resilience isn't about avoiding conflict or staying calm all the time.

It's the ability to recognise what's happening inside us, manage our emotional energy, and stay connected to both people and results when tensions rise.

That's what separates productive conflict from workplace drama.

In our latest article, we explore why smart people still get defensive, what triggers these reactions, and how leaders can build the skills needed to respond differently.

Read the full article here 👉

One of the most common assumptions in leadership development is that intelligence, experience, and expertise naturally lead to better conflict management. It seems logical.

06/18/2026

Imagine being able to help your employees in all areas of their life...

Not just at work but at home too.

That's what happened when Lori Walker's team at ERMCO-ECI adopted the Compassionate Accountability® framework.

What started as a workplace initiative quickly became something much bigger.

Team members weren't just using the skills in meetings, performance conversations and conflict situations.

They were taking them home and applying them with partners, children, friends and family members, because communication doesn't stop when the workday ends.

When people learn how to navigate conflict more effectively, take responsibility for their reactions, and stay connected through difficult conversations, the impact reaches far beyond organisational results.

For Learning & Development leaders, that's the opportunity.

Not just developing better employees.

Developing better communicators, better leaders and stronger relationships.

What would change in your organisation if people had the skills to handle conflict without damaging connection?

06/17/2026

Join us at 10am Central this morning for the 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 webinar!

Nate and Aaron will be hosting this event, which will introduce you to the new 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰.

An innovative assessment experience designed to help teams understand how they respond to conflict and pressure.

You’ll get a preview of:

🟢 The hidden patterns that drive unhealthy team conflict

🔵 The six team conflict archetypes and what they reveal

🟢 How the diagnostic measures both Drama patterns and productive Compassion Skills

🔵 What teams can learn from the individual and team reports

🟢 How leaders can use these insights to improve trust, accountability, collaboration, and performance

You’ll also learn what’s involved in becoming a pilot participant, including how your team can experience the diagnostic at no cost in exchange for honest voice-of-customer feedback.

Pilot Participants Receive:

🟢 Complimentary access to the Drama Resilience Team Diagnostic

🔵 Individual and team reports

🟢 Actionable insights and reflection tools

🔵 Early access to an innovative team development experience

🟢 An opportunity to influence the future of the diagnostic before launch

If you’re passionate about building healthier, more accountable teams, and curious about a fresh approach to conflict and performance, this webinar is for you.

See you soon, registration link here ⬇️

Be Among the First to Pilot the New Drama Resilience Team Diagnostic Conflict is inevitable on every team. Drama is optional. Join us for an interactive webinar introducing the new Drama Resilience Team Diagnostic — an innovative assessment experience designed to help teams understand how they res...

06/16/2026

Leaders who can effectively integrate trust and conflict, rather than avoid or suppress tension, gain a clear performance advantage.

Based on our 2025 study, the findings are clear:

𝗔𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘅, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴.

This creates both a risk and an opportunity.

What the research shows is that trust has two dimensions:

𝗕𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁.

And leaders need both…why?

Read the whitepaper here for more insights into the relationship between trust, conflict, and performance.

https://www.next-element.com/trust-and-conflict/

06/11/2026

Drama is the last thing we want in our relationships with customers.

Yet when pressure builds, expectations aren't met, emotions run high, or communication breaks down, drama can quietly creep into customer interactions.

And when it does, the consequences can be costly.

❌ Damaged trust

❌ Negative reviews

❌ Lost customers

❌ Harm to your brand reputation

The reality is that great customer service isn't just about processes, policies, or response times.

It's about how people handle the emotional energy that naturally exists when problems arise.

The most resilient customer service teams don't avoid conflict. They know how to navigate it without creating unnecessary drama.

In our latest blog, we explore three practical steps for building Drama Resilience in customer service and creating stronger, healthier customer relationships as a result.

Read the full article here ⬇️

https://www.next-element.com/resources/blog/three-steps-for-drama-resilient-customer-service/

Drama is the last thing we want in our relationships with customers. Here's a three-step process for healthy conflict that builds trust.

06/10/2026

We're just one week away from introducing something new 👀

For years, Next Element has helped individuals understand their Drama Resilience through our scientifically validated Compassionate Accountability® assessment framework.

Now we're extending that work to teams.

Next week, we'll be giving learning leaders, HR professionals, coaches, consultants, and team leaders an exclusive preview of the new 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰.

This innovative assessment experience is designed to help teams better understand how they respond to conflict, accountability, trust, and pressure, revealing the patterns that strengthen collaboration and the patterns that get in the way.

During the webinar, you'll get an early look at:

✔ The six team conflict archetypes

✔ The hidden patterns that drive unhealthy team conflict

✔ How the diagnostic measures both Drama patterns and productive Compassion Skills

✔ What leaders can learn from individual and team reports

✔ How these insights can be used to improve trust, accountability, collaboration, and performance

We're also inviting a select group of pilot partners to experience the diagnostic at no cost and help shape its future through voice-of-customer feedback.

If you're passionate about building healthier, more accountable teams, we'd love for you to join us.

📅 One week to go.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/CtPkySwVT1OYpcFy-qslTw #/registration

06/09/2026

Healthy workplaces are not conflict free.

They’re workplaces where conflict can be handled healthily.

Where both connection with each other and results are achieved.

When employees, senior leaders, business owners, and everyone who contributes to workplace culture feel valuable, capable, and responsible, something shifts.

💡People stop fearing difficult conversations.

💡Problems get solved instead of avoided.

💡Accountability becomes productive instead of personal.

💡Trust grows instead of eroding under pressure.

That’s what creates cultures people actually want to be part of and in Lori Walker’s words show a “willingness and motivation to get-up and go to work the next day.”

ERMCO-ECI has been doing incredible things with Compassionate Accountability® in their organization.

If you’re curious about what this could look like inside your own team or organization, we’d love to start the conversation.

Because conflict is inevitable.

Drama is optional.

Contact our team to find out more:

www.next-element.com