How long does it take to get defensive? What kind of impact does it have? Sharon Ellison will demonstrate how to defuse defensiveness, often instantly, whether you are talking to a co-worker or are a manager needing to give feedback to an employee.…

The Texas Conflict Coach® Blog Talk Radio program announces our Workplace Series.

The following episodes will air every Tuesday from 5:00-5:30 pm PST/7:00-7:30 pm CST/ 8:00-8:30 pm EST.

To…

Theater of Witness is a form of performance in which the true life stories of people whose voices haven’t been heard in society are performed by the storytellers themselves as a way for audiences to bear witness to significant social issues. The theater productions are scripted from…

If you’ve been told not to take conflict personally, you only have half the story. Before you can do that, you have to take conflict more personally. In this program,…

Everyday life is filled with interactions between superiors and subordinates. Whether you are up or down the food chain, you have to work with someone who has either more or less power than you. Join Columbia University Professor Peter Coleman, as we…

People of faith have an extra resource to guide them successfully through conflict, if they choose to take advantage of it. For Christians, applying biblical principles – love, forgiveness, the “Golden Rule” – can turn a frustrating conflict into a satisfying resolution, and…

What happens when deep differences in theology, politics or identity turn into divisions in communities of faith? What initiates and fuels division? What conversations can build connection and care in the midst of profound differences? This evening we will discuss rebuilding relationships by enhancing conversation with lessons and tips from the Reflective Structured Dialogue approach…

Ken Cloke is renowned for his decades of work, passion and dedication to bring peacemaking tools to wherever he believes he can be of service whether it is in the U.S. or around the world. In this episode, The Language of Conflict, Ken will share his personal…

It turns out transformative mediation is the most effective approach when lawyers are involved.  It allows for the bad news about the other side's commitment to their perspective to be communicated directly and clearly; and it allows for the good news that the other side isn't pure evil to be communicated; and it allows for the highest quality conversation possible about both the heart of the dispute and the possibilities for improvement.  …

Bill Warters, an expert on conflict resolution in higher education, will describe the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution program based in the Department of Communication at Wayne State University in Detroit. He will review dispute resolution in Higher Education generally and…

Tips for Lawyers When Working with a Mediator

In his column in the latest issue of The Professional Family Mediator, Chip Rose writes about the idea of “The Perfect Mediation.”

As a highly experienced mediator, Mr. Rose acknowledges that a…

Join Founding Host Pattie Porter and Hosts Zena Zumeta and Stephen Kotev as we celebrate and honor the many guests during our 200th Episode. This is our 5 year anniversary of…

Most of us understand when there is a conflict, but we have not looked at what keeps us locked into the conflict. Those three components are powerful magnets for us. The program today will examine how identity, emotion and power work in conflict, and how understanding each of them…

Ken Cloke is renowned for his decades of work, passion and dedication to bring peacemaking tools to wherever he believes he can be of service whether it is in the U.S. or around the world. In this episode, The Language of Conflict, Ken will share his personal…

In this blog entry, I make my argument that mediation, as most often conducted in litigated cases, is far less helpful to the disputants than it could be.  I go so far as to suggest that what holds mediation back from its potential is the too-cozy relationship between mediators and the lawyers who refer them cases.

• A new American initiative to improve the notoriously poor LGBT rights in sub-Saharan Africa is reportedly inspiring a large backlash. Sub-Saharan Africa is marked by widespread homophobia as well as chronic dependence on foreign aid, in particular from the US, and the idea that the two issues might now be linked seems…

• Brandeis University in Massachusetts is offering a Master’s Program in Coexistence and Conflict with several scholarship opportunities. The program is geared towards professionals.
• The Summer Peacebuilding Institute in Harrisonburg, Virginia is still open for the 2012 year. The institute offers courses in development, humanitarian assistance,…

• The UN-mandate University for Peace’s Centre for Executive Education is offering an online course on Skills for Effective Negotiations starting March 15^th.
• The Center on International Cooperation completed its Annual Review of Global Peace Operations 2012, covering both UN and non-UN peace…

• Experts say the increasing trend of illicit financial flows are posing a great threat to Africa’s fragile growth as they pump back more dollars to developed countries than those send to poor African states.
• The Open Society Media Program released background papers earlier this month on Mapping Digital…

• I ask readers interested in peace and conflict to join the Peace and Collaborative Development Network and donate to help keep them alive, if possible. The network is a great place to meet others working in the field, browse job openings, read great blog entries and learn where to find other conflict resources.
• The International Centre on Nonviolent Conflict is…