Against Such Things
Virtue as a Technology of Conflict Transformation
Overview
Most organizations have values posted on their walls, but few have virtues embodied in their people. When conflict emerges—under deadlines, political pressure, strained communication, or interpersonal tension—values often evaporate, and what’s left is raw reaction. Against Such Things reframes virtue as technology: a set of repeatable, learnable practices that transform how individuals and teams show up in moments of strain.
This talk explores how ancient virtues like patience, gentleness, self-control, and forbearance function not as moral abstractions but as practical, high-leverage tools for navigating modern organizational conflict. Instead of treating virtue as personality or sentiment, Jared shows how it can be operationalized, practiced, and embedded in systems.
Core Idea: Virtue Is Skill in the Heat of the Moment
Conflict doesn’t reveal character—it reveals formation.
The virtues Paul lists in Galatians 5 aren’t passive traits; they are active dispositions that shape how we respond to pressure, anxiety, and disagreement. Jared reframes these virtues as technologies leaders can intentionally cultivate.
Participants learn to:
Treat virtue as a set of repeatable conflict skills
Create teams that act with discipline rather than impulse
Interrupt escalation by changing posture rather than position
Build a culture where conflict becomes productive, not corrosive
Move from intention → habit → system-wide practice
Key Teaching Elements
1. Virtue as Posture, Not Personality
Virtue is not a temperament. It’s a chosen stance—practiced, embodied, and strengthened through repetition. Jared helps teams see how to shift from instinctive reaction to intentional response.
2. The Nine Technologies of Transformation
Each virtue (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) is unpacked as a conflict technology, with a practical application for team environments.
Examples include:
Patience → slowing the emotional tempo of heated conversations
Gentleness → reducing defensiveness so truth can be heard
Self-control → interrupting overreaction and reactivity
Peace → creating psychological safety under pressure
3. How Virtue Interrupts the Escalation Cycle
Teams learn how virtue interacts with conflict’s natural dynamics—escalation, triangulation, avoidance—and how certain virtues act as pressure-release valves.
4. The Practice Arc: From Intention to Habit to Culture
Virtue must be trained at three levels:
Individual posture (how I enter conflict)
Relational practices (how we respond to each other)
Organizational systems (how leaders design structures that reward or suppress virtuous behaviour)
What Participants Take Away
Practical Skills
Tools to regulate emotional intensity in conflict
A shared language for how to “show up” when tensions rise
Techniques for building trust and reducing reactivity
Mindset Shifts
Virtue is not passive—it is strategic
Conflict exposes where formation is needed
Teams can train virtue like any other capability
Frameworks & Tools
The Virtue-as-Technology Model
A 9-part reflective practice for leadership teams
A conflict-design checklist rooted in virtue
A self-assessment tool for understanding habitual postures
Why This Talk Matters
In complex, high-pressure environments, technical expertise is not enough. Virtuous teams—
communicate more clearly
de-escalate faster
collaborate with greater trust
sustain healthier cultures
experience less burnout and turnover
Virtue becomes a competitive advantage, a leadership asset, and a foundation for long-term organizational health.
Ideal For
Leadership teams & staff retreats
Nonprofits, churches, and values-driven organizations
HR directors & culture-building professionals
Schools, colleges, and educational leaders
ADR centers, mediation groups, and peacemaking organizations
Boards & committees navigating ongoing tension
