Category Archives: Conflict Management
The Role of a Mediator
A blog post by Katherine Graham about the role of a mediator recently came across my desk. Ms. Graham makes a good point that mediators should avoid the very natural tendency to pull the parties toward a solution. She writes … Continue reading
Choosing, Using, and Being a Facilitator
“In control but not the judge.” This is how one facilitator described his role in a restorative justice meeting (Borton, 2013). This description is a classic statement about the role of a facilitator. In Borton’s study, facilitators agreed on the … Continue reading
Seeing the Big Picture: Strategy
Seeing the big picture in the midst of battle, or a rancorous negotiation, is difficult but important. A brief article on the website American Diplomacy traces the strategic consequences of three battles (Waterloo, The Somme, and Omaha Beach) to show … Continue reading
Doing the Impossible: Changing the Organization
“Only when certain political and organizational preconditions are met” can substantial improvements be made in big organizations. At least that is the conclusion suggested by a recent article in Public Administration Review. The authors suggest six preconditions (pg. 238): Support from … Continue reading
Workplace Conflict: A Developing Story
When did you first start thinking about conflict resolution techniques for the workplace? If you say you first tuned into methods to resolve conflict sometime in the 1980s your are not far off according to a new study in the … Continue reading
