Axios Finish Line

February 04, 2026
Welcome back! Tonight's host is Axios' Ashley May, with words of wisdom on approaching conflict at work and home.
- Smart Brevityβ’ count: 371 words β¦ 1Β½ mins. Copy edited by Amy Stern.
1 big thing: How conflict connects us
Avoiding tough conversations could keep the peace in the short term but erode long-term relationships, licensed psychotherapist Colette Jane Fehr tells Axios' Ashley May.
- Why it matters: Conflict avoidance thrives in a fast-paced digital world, where it's easy to push off a text, ghost someone, or write with AI.
π± "We're outsourcing what we think and feel to technology and then sharing it through yet another screen," says Fehr. "This removes the opportunity for repair in real time."
- Fehr is the author of the new book "The Cost of Quiet," out today.
π± Conflict can be constructive and can lead to deeper conversations. Fehr shares some best practices:
- π£οΈ Address issues, even small ones, instead of letting them simmer.
- π Share feelings first rather than jumping into problem-solving.
- π©Ή Repair by owning your part, clearing up misunderstandings and apologizing when needed. Reconnecting is more important than agreeing for emotional safety.
Here's what this could look like, according to a few examples Fehr shared:
- π’ At work, it's naming the tension after a meeting by sharing how something landed for you, then clarifying future expectations.
- π« With friends, it means acknowledging hurt feelings instead of pulling away.
- π¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦ In families, it's addressing a long-standing pattern β sharing how it affects you emotionally, then setting boundaries clearly and kindly.
π¬ "Being with another person, seeing their face, hearing their voice and feeling understood in real time is how we feel safe and grounded," Fehr tells Axios.
- "If we don't intentionally relearn how to stay connected, especially when things feel uncomfortable, disconnection becomes the norm rather than the exception. And that's one thing technology can't fix."
The bottom line: Conflict, handled well, is a powerful connector.
2. π¨ Parting shot: Postcard from Dubai

Mike, who's in Dubai for the week, was eating dinner on a nearby pier when he captured this shot of the Jumeirah Burj Al Arab, the "sail hotel."
- The Michelin Guide calls the United Arab Emirates landmark "quite possibly the most over-the-top hotel in the entire world ... the world's first and only seven-star hotel."
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