I was responding to a request from a prominent person. This was years ago. I called on others in my group to collaborate with me on a carefully worded response message. There were multiple drafts. I sent the final document. And then . . . crickets.

Trust

What does all this have to do with conflict? Trust. In our relationships with others we are always either making deposits into or subtracting from the reservoir of trust. We humans aren't so different from our canine cousins in that regard. My months with Ohmi had contributed drop by drop to the trust reservoir. Yet one incident when I raised my voice and inadvertently harmed her, slight though it was, had taken us many steps backward.