Conversation concept
Aftermath
The part of a difficult conversation that happens after the first line: follow-up, repair, documentation, silence, retaliation, or reset.
Glossary
Conflict Protocol terms, patterns, and techniques
Short definitions for the pressure moves and response techniques used across Conflict Protocol. Use this index when you need the term, the plain meaning, and the full guide in one place.
Alphabetical index
Terms
Conversation concept
Anchor
A short statement that brings the conversation back to what you know, need, or will do next.
Conversation concept
Boundary
A clear statement of what you will do, will not do, or will continue discussing.
Open related guideResponse technique
Broken Record
A technique where you calmly repeat the same answer instead of adding new reasons.
Open related guideConversation concept
Character Trial
A pressure move where the conversation shifts from the actual issue to whether you are selfish, dramatic, ungrateful, disloyal, or difficult.
Conversation concept
Composure
A simulator signal for how well your reply stays clear under pressure.
Open related guideConversation concept
Concern Trap
A pressure pattern where criticism or control is packaged as concern.
Open related guideConversation concept
DARVO
Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender; a blame-reversal pattern where the confronted person becomes the harmed party.
Open related guideConversation concept
Deflection
A move that shifts attention away from the original issue and onto your tone, timing, memory, wording, or character.
Conversation concept
False Urgency
A request made to feel like an emergency before priority, tradeoff, or timing has been clarified.
Open related guideResponse technique
Fogging
A technique where you acknowledge a small true or possible part of what the other person said without accepting the pressure attached to it.
Open related guideConversation concept
Gaslighting
A pressure pattern where someone uses denial, certainty, or revision to make you doubt your account of what happened.
Open related guideConversation concept
Grey Rock
A technique for giving low-emotion, low-detail responses when engagement gives the other person more material.
Open related guidePressure pattern
Guilt Trip
Pressure that turns your care, gratitude, or responsibility into a reason you must comply.
Open related guideConversation concept
Heat
A simulator signal for how much pressure is in the conversation.
Open related guideConversation concept
JADE
Justify, Argue, Defend, Explain.
Open related guideConversation concept
Loyalty Test
A move that turns a practical limit into proof that you are not committed, grateful, loving, or on the team.
Open related guideConversation concept
Memory Trial
When the conversation becomes a debate about exactly what happened instead of what needs to happen now.
Conversation concept
Moving the Goalposts
When the condition for acceptance keeps changing after you answer or comply.
Open related guideConversation concept
No JADE
Not justifying, arguing, defending, or explaining after your answer is already clear.
Open related guideConversation concept
Pause Line
A sentence that buys time before pressure forces an answer.
Open related guideConversation concept
Priority Tradeoff
A workplace response that turns urgency into a concrete decision about what moves if the new request matters.
Open related guideConversation concept
Reframe
Changing the frame from accusation, guilt, or urgency back to the real issue.
Open related guideConversation concept
Repeated Asking
Pressure through persistence after you already answered.
Open related guideConversation concept
Sacrifice Ledger
A guilt pattern where past sacrifices are treated as a debt that must be repaid with compliance now.
Open related guideConversation concept
Scope Creep
When a small request expands into more work, time, or responsibility without a clear tradeoff.
Open related guideConversation concept
Stonewalling
Shutting down or refusing to engage in a way that blocks resolution. Not every pause is stonewalling.
Open related guideConversation concept
Tactic Naming
Calmly naming the move happening in the conversation without turning the label into a fight.
Open related guidePressure pattern
Tone Policing
Shifting attention from the issue you raised to how you sounded when you raised it.
Open related guideConversation concept
Warm Boundary
Care plus a clear limit.
Open related guideConversation concept
Wrong vs Better
A teaching format that shows a pressure-feeding reply beside a cleaner reply.