Have you ever received an email that made your heart beat faster or spiked your blood pressure? We all know we're not supposed to respond right away, but how you respond will either increase or decrease the hostility and conflict. Hostile and undermining emails, letters, texts, and conversations can drain inordinate amounts of time, emotional energy and expense in the workplace.
For over a dozen years, the BIFF method of communicating in writing has helped thousands of people calm conflicts and create clear communication in response to misinformation, blame, and unnecessary anger.
BIFF (Brief, Informative, Friendly, Firm) is a simple, practical and structured way to respond to nasty emails or any written communication. It can help you get the outcomes you want by diffusing tension, containing conflict, and establishing professional boundaries.
This second book in the Conflict Communication Series focuses exclusively on workplace communication―internal and external―with instructions on how to use the four-step BIFF method with numerous examples of what works and what does not work to demonstrate potential pitfalls. It also includes tips on how to coach co-workers and others on writing effective BIFF responses to customers, clients, employees, and managers―instead of becoming consumed in unhealthy back-and-forth wars. Using BIFF with toxic teammates, workplace bullies, and threatening customers and clients can reduce the risk of lawsuits and complaints and make everyone feel more confident in workplace relationships.
Use BIFF to lower your blood pressure, turn down the conflict flame, and restore your confidence. BIFF is a game-changer when you have to respond in writing in high-conflict situations or with any upset person. Then use Bill's EAR Statement™ technique in Calming Upset People with EAR for verbal communications in high-conflict situations.
Bill Eddy is a lawyer, therapist, mediator, and the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of the High Conflict Institute. He was Senior Family Mediator at the National Conflict Resolution Center for 15 years, a Certified Family Law Specialist lawyer representing clients in family court for 15 years, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker therapist with twelve year's experience. He serves on the faculty of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law in California and is a Conjoint Associate Professor with the University of Newcastle Law School in Australia. He has been a speaker and trainer in over 30 U.S. states and 10 countries where he's taught conflict communication with his BIFF ResponseŽ and EAR Statement™ methods to over half a million people worldwide. In addition to writing over twenty books, his blog on PsychologyToday.com has over 5 million views. Bill lives in San Diego, California with his wife.
Megan Hunter holds an MBA and is a keynote speaker and management trainer and consultant on managing high conflict disputes and challenging people. She is the CEO and co-founder of the High Conflict Institute and founder and publisher at Unhooked Media. She has written five books and has given presentations across the U.S. and seven countries. Megan, a native of Nebraska, lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband.
