When is behaviour unhelpful, challenging or unacceptable? It's a personal thing for each person. What is seen as ok by one person is seen as unacceptable by another. The impact a person's behaviour has on another may not be intended and the person may not be aware of the impact they have.

It's an understandable natural reaction when someone behaves in a way that we find difficult that we simply avoid, or stop, interacting with that person. We avoid the conflict, and the behaviour remains. In some situations we can simply walk away from that person and never need to interact with them again. In other situations we are part of a community, or in the workplace, and are unable to walk away. In this situation the behaviour can undermine relationships and the community. This leads to underlying tensions that, if left unresolved, can fracture a relationship or community.

Restorative dialogue helps handle these behaviours by giving each person an opportunity to describe their perspectives and values, express how they feel and what they need, and encourages us to be aware of the impact we have on others.