Having recently delved neck-deep into the waters of mass online learning, I wanted to repost this blog I wrote a few months ago on The Werner Institute Blog, in order to hear more voices on this. The more I learn, the more convinced I am that the field of negotiation and dispute resolution is uniquely posed to be an important…

Caucus Saves The NHL Season!

The value of caucusing was on full display as it played a critical role in resolving the NHL lockout...…

Caucus Saves The NHL Season!

The value of caucusing was on full display as it played a critical role in resolving the NHL…

Hon. Nan R. Nolan (Ret.) Joins JAMS Chicago Resolution Center

January 7, 2013

Chicago – JAMS, the largest private provider of mediation and arbitration services worldwide, today announced the addition of Hon. Nan R. Nolan (Ret.) to its panel. Judge Nolan will be based in the JAMS Chicago Resolution Center. She will serve as an arbitrator, mediator…

I've gone on the record before, as saying that the field of negotiation and dispute resolution, with all our expertise in convening complex meetings, enhancing communication and allowing creativity to emerge, should take more of a stance in The Online Education Wars.  Particularly, given the dawning of the Age of the Mooc.

Putting…

There's a lot of confusion out there about transformative mediation.  For example, it's often stated that the goal of transformative mediation is to improve relationships.  While that is a common positive side effect of transformative mediation, it's not the mediator's goal.  My latest blog entry, available here, contains a brief description of where the…

There is something that doesn’t quite work about the expression, “You make me so angry” (or sad, disappointed, depressed, etc.). That is, none of us can really make someone an emotion. We may act or speak in ways that result in others experiencing negative feelings. Or, others may do or say things to which we react. However, in both cases we don’t and they don’t actually make the emotion happen.

This may sound as though I am ‘splitting hairs’. However, in my view, the notion inherent…

Let me start off by saying I’m not a huge fan of _______ for Dummies. Never have been. So when Victoria Pynchon asked me to review a copy(yes...I didn’t pay for it and am not being paid for this review) of Success as a Mediator for Dummies I was a little skeptical as to how good…

In today’s program, we are going to help you develop a plan for “Becoming Conflict Competent” in the new year. So, if you want to stop running away from those tense situations or maybe even curb your sharp or sarcastic tone when you are defending yourself, then listen in for a simple plan to help you change how you will deal with these conflict situations in the coming year. I am asking you to make 4 commitments on your journey to becoming conflict competent.…

I confess that spirituality is not my strong suit. It's up there with sports in terms of admirable things that don't jibe with my addled attention span or intellectual bandwidth or skills.  No disrespect to either thing.  They're just not my jam.

However,  I'm ever so grateful for what various faiths have brought to the peacebuilding field. I was (unsuccessfully) raised Catholic, but I admit that the peace and forgiveness-themed…

Start 2013 off by checking out some of our best webinars from '12

September- Reading People: Reliable Cues From The Face & Body

With Maggie Pazian [more here]

The face can display over ten thousand…

The Texas Conflict Coach® Blog Talk Radio program announces the following episodes starting

in the month of  January, held every Tuesday night from 7:00-7:30 pm CST/8:00-8:30 pm EST.

To participate, either go to the designated link for each program or call-in

live at 347-324-3591.

January 1st :   Becoming Conflict Competent: Your New Year's Plan

                         Host:  Pattie…

Bootcamp meets bandcamp: scenes from a mediation training

Brad Heckman- Folks, we just wrapped up a 40-hour Basic Mediation Training, putting 26 people from all walks of life on the path of joining New York…

Forgiveness is a powerful tool for clients who are up against difficult, and seemingly insurmountable, conflicts. It creates a pathway from conflict to a deeper place of understanding and compassion. Because Forgiveness integrates all levels of conflict -- physical, emotional, mental and spiritual–it uniquely enables clients to experience the…

When we begin to experience irritation about something happening with another person, our thoughts and feelings sometimes go to places that are not helpful for the situation and relationship with the other person. We may not always be aware of what is exacerbating things, but before we know it our initial responses have taken twists and turns that only serve to complicate matters. As things expand in our minds and hearts, we often find ourselves more and more conflicted, confused, and upset.…

The Organizational Ombuds profession and individual practitioners enjoyed a good year.   The top ten stories of 2012 from the Ombuds Blog show that the profession continued to improve and expand.

[Runner Up] Among Other Things, Paula Broadwell Was an Ombuds -- Who know that one of the year's most intriguing newsmakers once…

The National Institutes of Health office for internal conflict resolution in Bethesda, MD is offering a full-time internship for the Summer of 2013. (Exact start and end dates are negotiable.) Under the supervision of an NIH mentor, the intern will focus on one major project and will observe and assist with individual consultation sessions; mediation processes; group facilitation; conflict resolution system development and…

Folks, we just wrapped up a 40-hour Basic Mediation Training, putting 26 people from all walks of life on the path of joining New York City's largest civilian peacebuilding force. This was a pretty eclectic group -- including a mother & daughter, a hypnotist, a couple of triathlete trainers, and three people from Switzerland. (Yep, we were teaching the Swiss about neutrality. Oy.). Here's a little photo essay to give a sense of how we roll -- combining visual,…