Course Catalog / BMU 102 / Glossary

Glossary: BMU 102 Hard Conversations at Home

A reference sheet of the key words in this course. Keep it open while you work, or print it.

Absolutes

Words like always and never that invite a fight. (Lesson 4)

Blame language

Words that label the person, like "You're selfish." (Lesson 1)

Break plan

Words you agree on in advance to pause and come back. (Lesson 2)

Check in

A short, planned follow up talk. (Lesson 6)

Defensiveness

Protecting yourself instead of hearing the other person. (Lesson 5)

Flooded

Too stirred up to talk well. (Lesson 2)

Follow through

Doing what you said you would do. (Lesson 6)

Good enough outcome

A realistic result you can count as progress. (Lesson 3)

Grounding

A quick way to bring your attention back to your body and the room. (Lesson 2)

Impact

How something affected you. (Lesson 1)

Main goal

The one thing this talk is for. (Lesson 3)

Opener

The first few sentences of a hard talk. (Lesson 4)

Reflective listening

Summarizing what someone said before you reply. (Lesson 5)

Repair

Owning a slip and reconnecting. (Lesson 6)

Request

A clear, doable ask. (Lesson 4)

Unspoken issue

A topic everyone feels but nobody talks about. (Lesson 1)

Back to Getting started or the syllabus.