Diana Peterson-More is a #1 bestselling, award-winning author, leadership consultant, and former employment lawyer and senior HR executive whose career spans law, corporate leadership, and organizational development. After leaving a Fortune 50 company, she founded The Organizational Effectiveness Group, LLC, where she helps leaders align people strategies with organizational goals through coaching, strategic planning, custom training, investigations, and expert testimony.
A sought-after keynote speaker and conference presenter, Peterson-More is known for translating hard-earned leadership lessons into practical, human-centered guidance. Her work draws on decades of experience managing complex workplaces and learning firsthand how communication, listening, and accountability shape results. She is the author of two bestselling books on leadership and civil discourse: Consequential Communication in Turbulent Times and “Can we all just get along?” Rodney King - Courageous Communication – A Return to Civility. Her insights have been featured in national business and HR publications including CEO Magazine, the Association of Talent Development, TICE, HR.com and leadership podcasts. Peterson-More holds a BA from UCLA and a JD from Loyola Law School.
This one-on-one interview shares Diana’s background and experience writing “Can we all just get along?” Rodney King - Courageous Communication: A Return to Civility.
Tell us about "Can we all just get along?" Rodney King - Courageous Communication: A Return to Civility.
Can We All Just Get Along? Rodney King—Courageous Communication: A Return to Civility is a powerful, practical guide for anyone exhausted by conflict, division, and incivility; especially in today’s workplace, where 92% of employees report experiencing it and many fear decisions are driven more by politics than performance.
Drawing on my experience as an employment lawyer, senior HR executive, and leadership consultant, I tackle the root causes of discord head-on: human nature, unchecked emotion, and poor communication habits. I introduce proven, easy-to-apply techniques to calm the “lizard brain,” take responsibility for what we say and how we say it, and repair damage through accountability and meaningful apology. Rather than fueling disagreement, readers learn how to replace assumptions and blame with observable acts, facts, and events, while avoiding the traps of opinions, conclusions, and imagined motives.
At the heart of the book is a disciplined approach to courageous communication: using neutral language, applying sound conflict-management principles, and communicating strategically by defining a clear goal and choosing the right vehicle to reach it.
Inspired by Rodney King’s historic call for peace after profound injustice, Can We All Just Get Along? is both a wake-up call and a roadmap. If you’re ready to restore civility, rebuild trust, and create more productive conversations at work and beyond, this book shows how and why it matters now more than ever.
What inspired you to write "Can we all just get along?" Rodney King - Courageous Communication: A Return to Civility?
For decades, I’ve watched how people communicate: at work, in leadership roles, and in moments of conflict, and I’ve seen firsthand how quickly misunderstanding can erode trust. That view, combined with years of working with tens of thousands of professionals, made the growing loss of civility impossible to ignore. What began as proven tools I used in training, coaching, and facilitation took on new urgency in 2019, just before the pandemic, when social isolation and political volatility intensified an “us versus them” mindset.
As civility continued to fray during COVID, I conducted a series of worldwide surveys to better understand what was really happening beneath the noise. What I discovered was unexpectedly hopeful: most of us are willing to listen to different points of view. That insight shaped Can We All Just Get Along?, a book grounded in tried-and-true techniques designed to help us move past division and return to respectful, productive dialogue when it matters most.
How did your background and experience influence your writing?
Leadership has been part of my identity for as long as I can remember. From early student government roles to law school and beyond, stepping into responsibility felt instinctive rather than aspirational. That sense of confidence, uncommon for women of my generation, shaped the choices I made and the risks I was willing to take.
The jobs I’ve held propelled me into leadership positions: first practicing in a firm, then recruited to the major southern California electric utility where I was “the first,” in many jobs and made a meteoric rise to the glass ceiling, as the sole female among 18 officers. These positions taught me what leadership truly demands, not in theory, but in real time, under pressure, and often through hard-earned mistakes. The lessons I learned navigating power, visibility, and accountability now form the foundation of my leadership practice and my books.
My goal is simple: to translate lived experience into practical guidance that helps others lead more effectively, avoid unnecessary missteps, and move toward success with greater clarity and confidence.
What is one message you would like readers to remember?
If there’s one message I hope readers carry with them, it’s this: restoring civility starts with personal responsibility. Despite our being part of a collective, there is only one person we control: ourselves. We control what we think, how we treat ourselves, how we treat others, what we say and do. If all of us conducted ourselves with respect and kindness towards ourselves and others, what a wonderful world it would be. My work is grounded in that belief. It doesn’t promise perfection or easy fixes, but it does offer practical tools for showing up with greater respect, accountability, and intention. Civility isn’t abstract; it’s built one interaction at a time, starting with us.
Purchasing the Book
“Can we all just get along?” Rodney King - Courageous Communication: A Return to Civility has received positive reviews from well-known literary organizations, authors, and reviewers around the world. Book Excellence writes, “With practical tools to turn everyday conflict into courageous, constructive communication, “Can we all just get along?” Rodney King - Courageous Communication: A Return to Civility is a timely, essential read for anyone seeking clarity, respect, and connection in a divided world.”
The book is available for sale on Amazon and other online bookstores. Readers are encouraged to purchase their copy today: https://www.amazon.com/Can-All-Just-Along-Communication/dp/1733614621/
To connect with Diana and learn more about her work, visit: https://dianapetersonmore.com/. You can also find her on LinkedIn, X and Mastodon.
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