Have a code word

I heard this tip from someone I met at a recent book festival.  I had a great time talking to lots of people about how to improve their difficult conversations, and learned new ideas, including this one.

Her tip was to have a code word that you all agree on beforehand. The agreement is that if anyone feels that the conversation is getting heated or out of hand, saying the code word is a signal it is time to change the topic.

She said it works great!  It’s one way to put the relationship first.