Ep69 | Learn to Play your Cards Right in Conflict with Kimberly Best

We practice knot-tying, codes, and difficult deliveries until the skills become automatic. Why do we still fly blind when it comes to conflict? In this warm, practical conversation, Dr. Lee Sharma sits down with Kimberly Bes to examine exactly that question. Kim shares how decades in emergency and critical care nursing revealed the damage caused when fear, time pressure, and competing priorities collide without shared language or tools. She explains why she designed a 50-card deck (20 story cards and 30 skill-and-practice cards) that lets individuals and teams build conflict competence one manageable skill at a time. Listeners will hear how the cards function as both a reflective practice after a hard interaction and a proactive way to prepare teams for better conversations. Kim and Lee walk through high-impact skills such as “the story I’m telling myself,” separating the person from the problem, and the powerful reminder that disagreement does not equal opposition. They also explore why more than half of healthcare professionals identify as conflict-avoidant, how the system has normalized unhealthy patterns, and why learning to be both honest and kind is a professional and personal necessity. This episode offers an accessible, hopeful path for anyone who wants to stop carrying unresolved conflict home and start building the communication skills that make teams stronger and healers healthier. Three Actionable Takeaways: - Treat conflict skills like clinical skills, practice them deliberately: One focused tool at a time (whether a single conversation card or a short reflective exercise) builds a sustainable toolbox far more effectively than absorbing an entire seminar and then forgetting it under pressure. - Use “the story I’m telling myself” to lower the temperature and open curiosity: Naming your internal narrative invites clarification instead of defensiveness, reveals your own assumptions, and often transforms a stuck interaction into a collaborative one. - Disagreement is not opposition, and conflict itself is not the enemy: Healthy systems need honest difference. Skills that help us stay connected while we disagree protect relationships, improve patient care, and reduce the isolation and burnout that flourish when we avoid hard conversations. About the Show:  Behind every procedure, every patient encounter, lies an untold story of conflict and negotiation. *Scalpel and Sword*, hosted by Dr. Lee Sharma—physician, mediator, and guide—invites listeners into the unseen battles and breakthroughs of modern medicine. With real conversations, human stories, and practical tools, this podcast empowers physicians to reclaim their voices, sharpen their skills, and wield their healing power with both precision and purpose. About the Guest: Kimberly Best is a nurse, mediator, conflict consultant, speaker, and trainer, and the founder of Best Conflict Solutions. After decades in emergency and critical care nursing, she earned a master’s degree in conflict management from Lipscomb University and pursued advanced training in mediation, negotiation, restorative practice, and conflict systems design. She is a court-listed mediator, FINRA arbitrator, adjunct professor at Lipscomb University’s Institute for Conflict Management, and past president of the Tennessee Association of Professional Mediators. She is also the creator of Best Conflict Conversation Cards, Workplace Edition, a practical 50-card deck designed to help individuals and teams build conflict competence one skill at a time. Website: https://www.bestconflictsolutions.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlybestmediator About the Host: Dr. Lee Sharma is a gynecologist based in Auburn, AL, with over 30 years of clinical experience. She holds a Master’s in Conflict Resolution and is passionate about helping colleagues navigate workplace challenges and thrive through open conversations and practical tools. - Connect with Dr. Lee Sharma: 📧 Email: [scalpelandsword@gmail.com](mailto:scalpelandsword@gmail.com) 🌐 Website: East Alabama Health - Dr. Sharma *The Scalpel and Sword Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice. Always consult a qualified professional regarding your specific situation.* Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.