What am I protecting?
People. Privacy. Access to care. Essential work. Your own ability to act. Name what needs protecting before choosing a response.
A book by Jason S. Comely
The game has
a referee.
Your shift
has you.
Referee The Room brings the craft of sports officiating to frontline work. See trouble early. Hold fair limits. Keep essential work going.
See clearly. Decide fairly.
Support your crew.
A pocket guide for the people
who work where conflict and care meet.
01 / The book
Read it. Carry it. Put it to work.Referee
The Room.
Stop Absorbing the Chaos.
Start Making the Call.
You hear the argument before you see it. Voices rise. A chair scrapes. People turn toward the worker who has to decide what happens next.
Sports officials face that pressure in public, game after game. Their craft starts before the first whistle: prepare with the crew, find a clear view, intervene early, make the call, and restore play.
Referee The Room brings that craft to shelter workers, nurses, and others who work where conflict and care meet. It combines sports examples, practical language, and space for your workplace’s essential information.
Buy on AmazonPocket-sized paperbackReal sports examplesPractical frontline languageSpace for your workplace notes
Inside the approach
Four questions.
A clearer next move.
Use these questions to read the situation, choose a response, and follow through.
What is happening?
Find a safe view. Separate what you observe from what you assume. Check what you still need to know.
What response is needed?
Choose the least intrusive response that meets the need and your duties. Make requests clear, hold fair limits, and call for help when needed.
What happens next?
Check the result. Restore safe activity. Complete the record and handover. Check your readiness for the next decision.
02 / Work with Jason
For frontline teams and organizationsBring it
to your team.
The book opens the conversation.
Bring your team’s everyday situations into it through consulting and in-person workshops.
Learn together
In-person workshops
Work through frontline scenarios and practise the decisions that keep people, care, and essential work in view.
- Spot developing trouble and position early.
- Make clear requests and hold fair limits.
- Coordinate with your crew and hand over well.
Apply it to your setting
Consulting
Explore how the Referee The Room approach can apply to the situations your team encounters on a typical shift.
- Examine recurring communication challenges.
- Discuss crew responsibilities and coordination.
- Connect the book’s questions to everyday practice.
A few useful answers
Before the
next shift.
What is Referee The Room?
Referee The Room: Stop Absorbing the Chaos. Start Making the Call. is a book by Jason S. Comely. It applies the craft of sports officiating to frontline conflict, communication, fair limits, crew coordination, and recovery after a difficult shift.
Who is the book for?
Shelter workers, nurses, and others who work where conflict and care meet. It also explores applications in classrooms, reception areas, public transport, and public venues. Sports examples explain the ideas in practical terms.
Does this replace workplace training or policies?
Use the approach within your role, training, and workplace policies. Consequences must be authorized, and immediate danger calls for your trained emergency response.
How do I arrange consulting or an in-person workshop?
Email info@refereetheroom.com with your organization, location, team size, and what you would like to work on. Jason can discuss the scope and availability with you.
Let’s talk
Your team.
Your room.
Let’s work on it.
For consulting, in-person workshops, or questions about the book, get in touch with Jason.
info@refereetheroom.com @RefereeTheRoom on X