Professor Sherry Colb took a training in transformative mediation this spring.  Here you can read what she learned.

Talk about conflict resolution skills! I have a very young, very sweet pre-marital counseling couple which comes to see me, and that’s usually the topic of conversation.I figure–teach them good conflict resolution skills, and they’ll be set. So, we focus on them quite a bit.

Last night, they brought up a recent argument about registering for a crystal ice bucket, retail price $350.00. She wanted it–he didn’t. So, I used the opportunity to teach them about…

Many years ago I had a friend who made fun of certain words and expressions we commonly use. For instance, she would ask who are “they” who make up rules about what is acceptable behaviour or wise advice like, “They say don’t swim after you eat”, or “They say if you tell the truth it becomes a part of your past. If you lie it becomes part of your future”. (I am not attributing these expressions as I am not able to find their derivation. They are time-worn statements I have heard as long as I…

Often times, and without even knowing it, divorced or divorcing parents will put their own self-interests ahead of their children’s. Or fail to recognize the impact their divorce will have on the kids. This can kick off a dangerous cycle that may have long-lasting and far-reaching consequences for both children and parents alike.

Poor school performance, increased drug or…

To Resolve a Conflict, First Decide: Is It Hot or Cold?

Mark Gerzon/HBR- As a leader, you’re going to…

I stopped by the store the other day and bought a $3.99 bouquet of flowers for my mom – I found her favorites, alstroemeria. She LOVED them … you would think that I had given her a giant arrangement – you know the kind that you see in the lobby of a fancy hotel.

That got me to thinking that bringing a little joy to someone you care about…

So, the family and I went to Washington, D.C. last week, and I would call it a vacation–except there’s nothing relaxing about dragging three children through the streets of Washington, D.C. to view all the historic sites.

But, it was a learning experience. And, on the last day, as we toured the U.S. Capitol, I learned that we have a long heritage of conflict resolution in this country–and that made me proud. As we were listening to our tour in the Rotunda,…

You will know from the ConflictMastery™ Quest(ions) blogs that the series of questions usually invites readers to look at the conflict from the other person’s viewpoint, as well as their own. It is a typical approach for helping people understand the full picture of conflict situations, including their contribution to the dynamic.

The phrase stepping into someone’s shoes – the subject of this week’s blog – is commonly…

In Your Brain on Conflict series, we kick off with Scott Rogers, Founder and Director of the Institute for Mindfulness Studies. What happens in our brain when we are engaged in an emotionally-charged conflict? Neuroscience or brain science has emerged with answers that help us begin to understand the physiological, emotional, and…

MAPPING A WORLD IN MOTION: A DAILY DASHBOARD OF GLOBAL CONFLICT

(CLICK TO OPEN MAP)…

An experience at court the other day gave me the idea for this post about change and how we deal with it.

We have been mediating at court in the same conference room for about three years now. Last week, I arrived to find that another group had vacated the room but left a projector at the end of the long table where I usually sit. The rule at the court is that you don’t touch any…

If you’re like me, you’ve often wondered why some apologies seem, well, insincere. Turns out, there’s real science behind the art of apologies, and researchers at The University of Miami think they’ve cracked the code, according to an article in Yahoo Health.

In the study, 356 young men and women completed questionnaires and took part in interviews about a conflict and their feelings about the person involved in the conflict. They also prepared a speech, which was filmed, and…

As you may know, the phrase driving a wedge between people describes the act of causing people to oppose or turn against one another – to spoil their relationship.

This expression seems to be used when referring to what a third party does that results in a schism between two (or more) others. That is, the two (or more) people may not be in conflict or there may be some tension but they are not…

The topic of emotional intelligence in the workplace is a evolving area of professional interest for leaders and employees alike. How do we engage the vital skills of communicating through crisis, empathy, perspective taking and self awareness just to mention a few? In 2011, the workplace continues to hold higher and higher expectations for us all. The necessity to manage countless stressors while also producing, leading, collaborating and resolve conflicts have become the…

"What's Happening in Conflict Resolution" is a weekly round up of the all the ADR news, jobs, events and more. Check it out each week and view past versions [HERE].

Turtle, Teddy Bear, Shark, Fox or Owl?…

Have you ever thought about how you handle conflict?

In our 40 hour mediation class, our students do a learning exercise to better understand their approaches to conflict. What surprises most of them is that they use a variety of ways, based on the situation or person they are dealing with.

Here is a fun way to think about your approaches to conflict resolution – taken from the animal kingdom.

TURTLE – THE AVOIDER…

People often ask me what I think about Gaza and all that is going on. Here's what I tell them first. you can read best at:

http://peaceandconflictpolitics.com/

DonEllis

Since children seem to grow up so fast these days, it’s hard to remember that they’re still…well…children. And, children absorb EVERYTHING around them, including conflict.