Conflict Resolution Day...

is October 16. Since I'm going to be out of town that day, I wanted to post an announcement about it now.

Conflict Resolution Day is an effort by the Association for Conflict Resolution to increase public awareness about conflict resolution and its many benefits. We'll be seeing governors, mayors, and other officials proclaiming October 16 as "Conflict Resolution Day." ACR also provides a lot of public education about conflict resolution.

This is a wonderful opportunity to think about destructive conflicts in our lives and resolve to do something positive about them.

Happy Conflict Resolution Day!

It's raining mediation

An interesting mediation tidbit from another blogger:

The state of Iowa has a flood mediation program to help consumers and their insurance companies make sure flood claims are being handled fairly. As you may remember, there was significant flooding in Iowa this past summer, resulting in governor declaring 83 of Iowa's 99 counties disaster areas.

Nobel Peace Prize

Congratulations to former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari on claiming the Nobel Peace Prize. While perhaps not a household name, Ahtissari, a life-long diplomat, has worked to solve international conflict all over the world, including Northern Ireland, Aceh, and Kosovo.

In the article published by DW-World.DE, Ahtissari is quoted as saying that his interest in peace mediation began as a child when his hometown was "seceded" to the former USSR during World War II.

He also noted that "mediation is 'an art' rather than an established practice."

I've seen that in my practice, both as a mediator and as an advocate for a party in mediations. One can read all of the literature about mediation and conflict resolution that they can--and I think they ought to--but the great mediators have "it". The "it" is the combination of savy, personality, temperment, skill, and experience that is rare. And, great mediators really love what they do. Peacemaking is not a job to the great ones; it is a calling.

Does good governance act as a tool for resolving conflicts?

Yes, according to Nigerian author MJ Amachree, from Rivers State University of Science and Technology.  Good governance means many things, but it includes concepts such as popular representation, respect for minority rights, accountability, the rule of law, transparency, and due process protections. Without these safeguards (along with others mentioned in the article), the government degenerates, which can bring about conflict.  

Copper Mine Mediation

The Sahuarita Sun reports that the US Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, in conjunction with a private mediator, will facilitate a working group to analyze thousands of comments on the Rosemont Copper mine proposal.  The goal is to help clarify comments made by citizens for the benefit of the Forest Service.

Derailing Resolution

Here's a short, but informative article, from Linda Henman of Henman Performance Group.  She explains ten thoughts/behaviors/acts/attitudes to keep conflict productive:

1. Successful conflict resolution depends on solutions, not winning.
2. Have a specific goal in mind, one that you can make in just one sentence.
3. Depersonalize the conflict.
4. State your desire to resolve the problem at the outset of the conflict.
5. Build on areas of agreement before addressing areas of difference.
6. Listen to the other person before you give your own ideas.
7. Understand, don't criticize.
8. Avoid entrenched positions.
9. Use specific, concrete language.
10. Rely on facts instead of inferences.

Divorcing nicely, Canadian style

The CBC aired a documentary on a "good divorce" on January 9, 2009.  Entitled "How to Divorce and Not Wreck the Kids," the producers examine three couples going through a divorce:  one using a do-it-yourself kit, one using a mediator, and one using collaborative divorce.  The producers say that the documentary is "the latest compelling evidence to convince separating parents to keep conflict away from their kids."