WARN International Ltd

WARN International Ltd WARN International provides consultancy and training in managing challenging situations to minimise

A question often posed in our workshops – what’s it really like to be a crisis negotiator; it must be scary.Yes, it is s...
08/01/2026

A question often posed in our workshops – what’s it really like to be a crisis negotiator; it must be scary.

Yes, it is scary because you are dealing with someone’s life. One wrong word or poor intonation can swiftly change a negotiation.

You have to think on your feet, any delay in reply can be turned against you.

In crisis negotiation, the stakes are life and death.

In business, the stakes are growth and survival.

Surprisingly, the principles are the same.

When I worked as a crisis and hostage negotiator, I learned that understanding leverage and risk determines success. Here’s the analogy:

Kidnap Situation: The person is held against their will; the offender already has what they want. It’s volatile, high-risk, and requires patience, empathy and trust-building. Business Parallel: Negotiating with a supplier who controls a critical resource, if you push too hard you risk losing everything.

Hostage Situation: The person is held against their will and is used as leverage to get something else. There’s room to manoeuvre, explore options and create solutions.

Business Parallel: Deals where both sides need something, a mutual dependency opens the door for collaboration.

Five Strategies for Business Negotiators:

1) Build value through relationships when leverage is one-sided.

2) Expand the pie by introducing new variables for win-win outcomes.

3) Mitigate risk with transparency and phased commitments.

4) Separate people from the problem, protect relationships while solving issues.

5) Use principled negotiation to preserve trust and create value.

Bottom line: Whether in a crisis or a boardroom, negotiation isn’t about winning, it’s about creating outcomes where everyone walks away safe, satisfied and ready for the next conversation.

Want to learn more?

Check out our WARN International Business Negotiation Programme.

We turn high-stakes principles into practical strategies for your business.

Let's talk!

I hope you find time to be happy, and not just strong 🙏
08/01/2026

I hope you find time to be happy, and not just strong 🙏

Did Men Always Hide Their Emotions?Out of pure selfishness, I am intrigued by the term 'masculinity' and how it doesn't ...
06/01/2026

Did Men Always Hide Their Emotions?

Out of pure selfishness, I am intrigued by the term 'masculinity' and how it doesn't seem to fit with who we truly are as people.

For the last 30+ years I’ve been working in wellbeing. It started with my own journey of depression which led me to a period of dark thoughts and ideations.

Why was I broken, why was I so weak, why do I feel pain in my heart, why do I often feel the need to cry, why can't I be more masculine.

In a recent keynote I asked the audience, 95% male, have you ever felt the need to cry but held it back? And it hurt. Deeply.

Immediately their faces changed, with a few tearing up. It had struck a nerve, or rather, it hit them in their heart.

We’ve been told for generations that real men put on a brave face, that we should suck it up, or worse still, to man up!

But here’s the truth: that idea is modern, not ancient.

The word masculinity didn’t even exist until the 16th century, while its modern meaning only took shape in the 18th.

For most of human history, survival depended on cooperation and care, not stoic isolation.

* Hunter-gatherers thrived on empathy and sharing – anthropologists show that early humans lived in egalitarian bands where emotional attunement mattered for group harmony.

* Evolution favoured cooperation – Sarah Hrdy’s (correct spelling) research on cooperative breeding and Kristen Hawkes’ grandmother hypothesis reveal that raising children required emotional responsiveness from everyone.

* Medieval men cried, publicly – tears were seen as virtuous and sincere, not weak.

* Even Norse sagas (prose) – famous for their stoicism, include grief and tears expressed through poetic codes.

* The stiff upper lip – that is a Victorian invention, not a timeless truth.

Across cultures, emotional expression is shaped by social rules, not by biology.

Courage and care have always coexisted.

Could it actually be that the bravest face is the one willing to feel and openly show their emotions?

Or is this is asking too much given how far we have come down the ‘real men don’t cry’ path.

The overwhelming majority of men I have encountered who struggled with their lives is directly due to their inability to openly express emotions. To share how they truly feel.

I pose a question, for everyone, when you hold back your true feelings does it hurt inside?

Let’s talk!

Yesterday marked my first day back at work for 2026 and what an amazing start it was!I provided a range of coping skills...
05/01/2026

Yesterday marked my first day back at work for 2026 and what an amazing start it was!

I provided a range of coping skills to Newey Transport, a large trucking company in Northland, at their Safe Start Breakfast event.

This is the earliest start to our year since WARN International began 11 years ago. And with bookings confirmed into April, the year ahead looks very promising.

Of course, none of us can predict how a year will unfold.

Yet, after speaking with many business leaders, one thing is clear: the last five years have been tough with the last two exceptionally challenging.

Burnout became common last year. Not necessarily because people were overwhelmed with work, because they were overwhelmed trying to find work.

A major cause of burnout is a lack of control. The American Psychological Association defines burnout as physical, emotional, or mental exhaustion accompanied by decreased motivation, lowered performance, and negative attitudes toward oneself and others.

It’s the result of prolonged stress and tension, often from extreme exertion or an overburdening workload. In short: exhaustion leads to cynicism and feelings of ineffectiveness.

But here’s the good news: we shouldn’t fear a busy year if the last few years were spent simply trying to stay afloat.

At WARN International, we promote a balance of being busy with purpose with setting boundaries, managing stress effectively, making work more enjoyable and aligning work with personal values.

2026 feels different, there's a positive vibe, almost as though we have all said - enough is enough!

I am reluctant to say that this is going to be a great year, how many of us have said that for the last few years?

Perhaps 2026 is a year of rebuilding, of reconnecting, and of finding our way forward.

Let’s make 2026 count.

What’s your outlook for 2026. Are you feeling optimistic, cautious, or somewhere in between?

Let’s talk!

“Every mountain looks impossible until you take the first step." – Lance Burdett.Your load shapes you but it doesn’t hav...
03/01/2026

“Every mountain looks impossible until you take the first step." – Lance Burdett.

Your load shapes you but it doesn’t have to define you forever!

Every culture has a moment in time that marks a new beginning. A time to pause, reflect, and to reset.

For many of us, the New Year is that point. It’s not just a date on the calendar; it’s a psychological anchor, a starting line that says – You can begin again.

But let’s be honest, starting fresh is never easy when you’re dragging baggage behind you.

For Christmas, I received this sculpture (refer image) of a person climbing a mountain, pulling a heavy weight. It struck me deeply. Because isn’t that life? We all carry burdens, some more heavy than others.

Most of us have faced a significant challenge in our life, often more than one.

Sometimes, that weight feels unbearable. Yet, if we keep moving, something remarkable happens: the load becomes lighter.

Not because it disappears, but because we grow stronger. Those struggles shape us into who we are today.

Most often it’s when the weight feels crushing that we realise something must change.

A new year offers that moment, a chance to say: It’s time to move forward.

We need not wait until we hit rock bottom, we can start to make a change before that time.

And when we decide to make the change, the load may remain, but it doesn’t have to define us forever.

Some will say, “You can change anytime.” True, but those who say this do not know what it’s like to carry your load.

For many, a symbolic point in time such as the start of a new year, can ignite that first spark of change.

So, here’s my challenge for 2026 to you - Make one small change. Then another. And another.

Small steps completed consistently create massive transformation.

Your mountain may be steep. Your weight may be heavy. Yet you’ve already proven something, you are still climbing.

Happy New Year. Let’s make 2026 the year of forward movement.

Let’s talk!

What if the relief we’ve all been waiting for isn’t coming? For many of us, the past few years have felt like running a ...
28/12/2025

What if the relief we’ve all been waiting for isn’t coming?

For many of us, the past few years have felt like running a marathon in the dark. Uncertain, exhausting and sometimes lonely.

Since 2020, we’ve been waiting for something to change: for the world to settle, for life to feel normal again.

And now that 2026 approaches, the question lingers – Will this year be any better?

It can be. Just not by chance, by choice. Neuroscience explains why.

Every January, millions of us, (me included), set resolutions. I have always been a big fan of resolutions; I still am and will continue to do so!

The science shows why resolutions aren’t always achieved, it has to do with two things – 1) Our planning brain loves clarity; vague goals overload it and 2) Our emotional brain resists sudden change; it sees it as a threat.

That’s why most research shows that 80% of resolutions fail by February. Our brain doesn’t thrive on pressure; it thrives on progress.

What works instead – small, emotionally meaningful actions work best. Dopamine, our motivation chemical, spikes when we make progress, not just when we achieve.

An example. Instead of writing “I will get healthier,” try writing “Walk for 10 minutes after lunch three times a week and “Send one message of gratitude every Friday”.

These micro-goals build momentum, strengthen neural pathways and create lasting habits. And you get healthier.

If the past few years taught us anything, it’s that connection and adaptability matter more than control. The world will still throw us curveballs, yet we can train our brains to respond with resilience.

Here’s how to make resolutions effective:

Focus on what you can control – Your rituals, your positive mindset, your relationships.

Practice self-compassion – Replace self-criticism with curiosity, what can you do differently.

Celebrate progress, not perfection – Every small win rewires our brain for optimism.

2026 won’t magically erase challenges, but it can be the year we stop waiting for relief and start creating it.

Neuroscience reminds us: hope isn’t passive, it is built through action. Our brain is a practical thing!

This year let’s choose goals that engage our passion, habits that ground us to the moment and connections that lift us. Because the future isn’t something we find, it’s something we build, one neural pathway at a time.

Here’s my commitment for 2026 - I will focus on one small action each day that strengthens connection, a chat with someone different each day. Why? Because in a world that feels uncertain, human connection is the most certain thing we have.

What about you? What’s one small, meaningful action you’ll take in January to set the tone for your year?

Let’s talk!

Meri Kirihimete 🫶
24/12/2025

Meri Kirihimete 🫶

We all know that the holidays can feel like a checklist at times. Do this.Buy that.Go here.But Christmas isn’t always ab...
18/12/2025

We all know that the holidays can feel like a checklist at times.

Do this.
Buy that.
Go here.

But Christmas isn’t always about doing everything for everyone else; it's also about making time for yourself.

Maybe you’re an active relaxer who loves the beach.
Maybe you’re happiest curled up at home with a good book.
Maybe joy for you is simply a quiet coffee in the morning sun.

We’re all different, and that’s the beauty of life. But the one thing we do share is Joy, Love and Happiness – and they all matter.

And the simplest way to find all three: Do one small thing each day that makes you smile, it doesn’t have to be big or expensive.

Small, consistent acts of joy have the biggest impact on your well-being.

From all of us at WARN International, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a holiday break filled with happiness, however you define it.

We’ll keep posting over the holidays because sharing ideas with you is one small thing that brings us joy.

See you in the New Year.

Let’s talk!

It's okay if you aren't feeling very twinkly this Christmas 🎄
14/12/2025

It's okay if you aren't feeling very twinkly this Christmas 🎄

Keep moving forward, you've got this 🙏
11/12/2025

Keep moving forward, you've got this 🙏

“Don’t cry.”“Stay strong.”“Never let them see you sweat.”Sound familiar?For centuries, we’ve worn this armour.The word h...
09/12/2025

“Don’t cry.”
“Stay strong.”
“Never let them see you sweat.”

Sound familiar?

For centuries, we’ve worn this armour.

The word human comes from the Latin word humanus, meaning kind, compassionate, real and genuine. Yet somewhere along the way, we changed these rules.

Enter Stoicism. Born to help people endure hardship with reason and resilience, its purpose was noble. But over time, the message twisted: strength became silence, and vulnerability became weakness.

I first noticed it in myself. Years ago, I realised I was holding back emotions, thinking that it would make me stronger.

Then, as a crisis negotiator, I began to see the same pattern in people at their breaking point. They were in deep pain yet fighting to keep a mask of control. That mask didn’t help – it isolated them.

We were never meant to be perfect; we were meant to be connected.

Here’s what neuroscience tells us: emotions are survival tools.

Emotions are chemical signals that prepare the brain and body for action, and when we suppress them, they don’t disappear; they just go deep underground and fester.

Cortisol rises. The prefrontal cortex shuts down. And we don’t tell others how we are feeling.

Sharing emotions, whether verbally or through visible cues, rewires the brain for safety and a sense of belonging. The strongest thing you can do is feel and let others feel with you.

Despite what some may tell you, the world needs more empathy than ever before.

Our brain is now hyper-vigilant and needs to return to our hardwired compassionate self.

Let’s talk!

Spoil someone this Christmas with a book featuring Lance’s premium, one-of-a-kind autograph scribbled inside of it! 🎁🎅Th...
08/12/2025

Spoil someone this Christmas with a book featuring Lance’s premium, one-of-a-kind autograph scribbled inside of it! 🎁🎅

The last day for orders in time for Christmas Day is 17 December (excludes rural delivery). We will continue shipping after this date, however, we will not be able to guarantee delivery in time for Christmas Day.

Address

Auckland

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when WARN International Ltd posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Our Story

With 22 years policing experience at the highest level, Lance has expertise in responding to emergencies and communicating in challenging situations. Lance specialised in su***de intervention and on predicting violent behaviour in his 13 years as a crisis negotiator and instructor for the NZ Police.

While working at the 111 Emergency call centre, Lance's resiliency programme was adopted nationally and formed part of the mandatory training for all Police call centre staff. This led to the founding of WARN International, aimed to enable organisations to mitigate the effects of stress on their employees by enhancing communication skills, managing their safety & security, and by providing personal resilience coaching.