Rose City SHRM April 2026 Monthly Meeting

"Conflict Doesn't Blow Up.

It Slowly Drains the Room."

Practical Conflict Resolution Tools for HR Professionals

Every HR professional knows the feeling — a conflict that should have been handled weeks ago finally arrives at your door, bigger and messier than it needed to be.

Workplace conflict is inevitable. Escalation, avoidance, and lasting damage to trust don't have to be.

In this practical, discussion-based session, Jeff Lay draws on 20+ years of leadership, and conflict mediation experience to help HR professionals do more than manage conflict — he helps them get ahead of it. Participants will explore why conflict escalates, how stress shapes workplace behavior, and how to guide leaders and employees toward clearer, more productive conversations — including in the most difficult situations, when the source of conflict sits above them in the org chart.

This session provides concrete frameworks and language HR professionals can apply immediately, with real workplace scenarios and honest discussion built in throughout.

Attendees will leave better equipped to:

• Recognize why conflict escalates and what role stress plays in leader and employee behavior
• Apply a practical framework for guiding difficult conversations with calm and clarity
• Use specific language to help leaders navigate conflict more effectively — and earlier
• Navigate the unique challenge of addressing conflict when the source is a superior or senior leader

Foster a workplace culture where tension is addressed before it becomes a crisis

About the Speaker

Jeff Lay,SHRM-SCP

The People Curve 

Jeff Lay has spent more than two decades helping leaders navigate the people challenges that don't show up in a job description — the tension between two strong team members, the manager who's technically performing but quietly eroding trust, the conflict that's been avoided just long enough to become a crisis.

He most recently served as Vice President of Human Resources at Pine Cove Camps, and now works as an Executive HR Advisor through his firm, The People Curve, partnering with organizations that need a trusted, experienced voice for their most complex people challenges. His work spans employee relations, conflict mediation, leadership coaching, culture, and executive decision support — across industries from oil and gas to banking to nonprofits.

Jeff holds a SHRM-SCP certification, is a Certified Conflict Resolution Specialist, and earned his business degree from Texas A&M University.

He believes good HR isn't about bureaucracy — it's about clarity, trust, and steady leadership when it matters most.

Outside of work, Jeff is a Christ-follower, a loyal (and long-suffering) Dallas Cowboys fan, a devoted Aggie, a bass player, a birder, and an enthusiastic Texas BBQ explorer.

Lunch will be provided and is included in the price of the event. 

For any questions about the event, or to suggest new content for meetings, please reach out to Dawn Burkett at vpdevelopment@rosecityshrm.com.