Conference Breakout Sessions
Additional programming you can book alongside the keynote or as a standalone workshop session.
Conflict De-escalation and Security in the Field
Conflict in the office and conflict in the field operate under different conditions. De-escalation is not a procedure—it is an approach. Fluid. Adaptable. Grounded in understanding what actually drives escalation: perceived threat, unmet need, breakdown in communication.
This training covers practical de-escalation skills: recognizing early warning signs, using verbal and nonverbal communication to reduce tension, maintaining composure under pressure. You will learn to assess threat level, understand what is driving the behavior, and recognize when disengagement is the only safe response.
Field de-escalation means managing conflict where backup is not immediate and misreading the situation carries real consequences. You will develop the judgment and communication skills to restore function without winning arguments or proving points.
Situational and Threat Awareness
Threat awareness is the foundation of an effective security response. Without it, even advanced defensive techniques arrive too late. This training develops the cognitive skills to observe your environment actively, recognize when a threat is developing, and respond before the threat has fully committed.
You will learn to sustain situational awareness through the OODA Loop framework (Boyd's Observe-Orient-Decide-Act cycle) and recognize pre-attack indicators—the non-verbal cues and behavioral patterns that signal escalating threat. You will understand how threats select targets and conduct surveillance, the progression known as the Cycle of Violence, and how early recognition breaks that cycle. The training includes environmental scanning techniques: how to segment your surroundings, use natural cover and concealment strategically, and maintain awareness without the paralysis of constant hypervigilance.
For infrastructure and utility operations, this training is tailored to the specific threat environment: recognizing surveillance of critical assets, identifying behavioral anomalies in right-of-way access, and maintaining operational awareness in distributed, open environments where conventional security measures are not feasible. The framework remains the same. The threat categories and environmental factors shift to match your operational reality.
Workplace violence takes different forms in different environments. Field professionals work alone or in small crews without immediate backup, interacting with unfamiliar landowners and the public in unpredictable situations. Office environments present different threats: confined spaces, proximity to coworkers, and escalations that unfold within organizational structures. Both require security awareness and response skills.
This training develops situational awareness to recognize when a situation is escalating. You will learn threat recognition—establishing a behavioral baseline, identifying anomalies, and assessing changing conditions. You will learn conflict de-escalation and disengagement protocols: recognizing aggression indicators, establishing authority without escalation, and knowing when withdrawal is the correct decision. You will develop incident documentation best practices to protect both yourself and your organization.
This training operates within a broader security context. While the primary focus is workplace violence prevention and de-escalation, you will also understand how critical incidents—including active shooter events—fit into the threat environment. The skills you develop apply across that spectrum: recognition, response, and recovery.