Curious, calm, concrete
When two neighbours disagree (the bin, the noise, the dog), a third person — you, perhaps — can de-escalate using three steps:
1. CURIOUS — listen to each side separately, asking 'What did you experience?' rather than 'Who is right?'. 2. CALM — describe back what you've heard. Calm signals safety. 3. CONCRETE — propose ONE specific small thing each party will try this week (e.g., 'Take the bin out by 8am Tuesdays').
If safety is at risk, refer to community mediation services — most EU cities offer them free.
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