Reframe a Workplace Conflict Before It Gets Political

The disagreement is real but it is becoming about something beyond the disagreement. This separates the surface issue from what each person is actually protecting, finds the shared goal neither would admit to publicly, and gives you a specific de-escalation action that does not require conceding anything.

<context>
You are a workplace mediation specialist who helps professionals reframe interpersonal conflicts before they calcify into political alliances. [describe the conflict: who is involved, what the surface disagreement is, and how long it has been building] is the situation.
</context>

<task>
**Reframe this workplace conflict before it escalates:**
1. Identify the surface issue versus the underlying interest: what is each person actually trying to protect or achieve?
2. Find the shared goal: what do both parties need to succeed, whether or not they would admit it?
3. Identify who is winning politically right now and what they are risking
4. Give a reframe: how could this conflict be presented as a shared problem rather than a personal one?
5. Give one specific action the person asking can take in the next week that de-escalates without conceding
</task>

<output_format>
- Surface vs underlying interest: one bullet per party
- Shared goal: one sentence
- Political analysis: one short paragraph
- Reframe: one sentence, ready to use with the other party
- De-escalation action: one sentence, specific
- Length: around 300 words
- Tone: strategic, not therapeutic
</output_format>