Composure in the Negotiating Room

November 10, 2026•1 min read

“Composure leaves room for a principled answer when every gaze demands a quick one.”

Scrolls of Reflection 3:23 (Courage)

Kazehira faces the searching attention of the Ryujin Clan as he tries to gain their support. The room becomes silent while Hirotaka considers his words. The pressure of the negotiation gives his composure a practical purpose.

Silence can tempt us to fill the room with more promises than we intended to make. Remaining attentive allows the other side to consider what has already been said. It also gives us a chance to hold to a position thoughtfully. Courage in a difficult conversation may include tolerating the discomfort of a pause without abandoning the principles we brought into it.

After making a careful proposal, allow time for a response. Listen for the real concern instead of treating every hesitation as rejection or every silence as a demand for more.

Reflection question: How do you respond when an important conversation falls quiet?

Discover The Trials of Courage, Book Three of The Chronicles of the Sacred Kingdom by D. Scott Lofthouse.

D.Scott Lofthouse

D. Scott Lofthouse has lived a life defined by service — as a law enforcement officer, military veteran, educator, and author. His journey from the streets of Anchorage to the quiet mountains of Utah reflects both discipline and faith, courage and reflection. He began his career in 1986 with the U.S. Air Force, serving in Belgium, Guam, and Alaska as a Law Enforcement Specialist and Investigator before joining the Anchorage Police Department in 1993. Over the next two decades, he became Alaska’s foremost authority on gang intelligence, serving as the primary Gang Intelligence Officer for the state and working closely with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. His professionalism and leadership earned numerous commendations, including multiple Chief’s Letters of Recognition and a Mayor’s Certificate of Appreciation. A natural teacher, D. Scott also served as an adjunct professor of criminal justice at Charter College and lectured on gang investigations, leadership, and internet safety across the country. His years of service instilled in him a deep understanding of humanity’s dual nature — the constant tension between darkness and light — a theme that lies at the heart of his writing. Now retired from law enforcement, D. Scott lives in Utah, where he continues to write and teach. His fantasy series, The Chronicles of the Sacred Kingdom, beginning with The Trials of Unity, explores the moral and spiritual dimensions of courage, leadership, and redemption. A devoted father and grandfather, he draws daily inspiration from family, faith, and the quiet majesty of the mountains that surround him.

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