pushing all the buttons. Say something like," Hey, XXX. About that "issue" I'd like to have a word with you." 5) Look into that person's eyes as you say that and look for clues to his personality. To be general say again, "I HEARD that something about "issue" and I can SEE you FEEL strongly about it." "Is there something I can do to help us all deal with that "issue"?" It matters not how verbally loud or eloquent he or she is. This person will balk severely. 6) Pause. Watch for a reaction. Wait for a response. This person is likely to back off totally. Expect It.  Otherwise, the response will be understandably incoherent as egos are often being salvaged right here. Let him or her do so. 7) Do it again if and when it happens. But know that you win by letting that person walk away. DO NOT Pressure the situation already won. By the way, if you assume that I was dealing with that common bully everyone knows about, yes, you're perfectly right. Most people deal with bullies very badly. Tough guy reactions get just the same. You can even teach your child this by working through it step by step. The first step is the most important. I have with numerous children including my own and it works every single time. And better yet, you should watch the self esteem in the bullied kids rise into fully fledged confidence. Teach your esteemed colleagues this and