One of the most valuable and current books for a mediator is Bernie Mayer’s Staying with Conflict. One of the chapters covers the topic of conflict avoidance – the ways that people shy away from the conversations that would be beneficial for them. I am sure you can relate to avoiding someone you […]
#4 Criticism and Attacks can be an Avoidance Strategy Keep Reading »
“All of you undisturbed cities, haven’t you ever longed for the enemy’ begins Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem in translation from Das Stundenbuch. In David Whyte’s interpretation of the poem, Rilke’s walled, disconnected city is symbolic of the self which needs an enemy to break down its walls and reconnect. That enemy is life, which relentlessly
#3 Longing for the Enemy Keep Reading »
Conflict may frighten you, or at the least, you find it unpleasant. Perhaps the last thing you would choose to do is to engage in conflict, and yet this is exactly what I encourage you to do in spite of the anxiety you may feel. Firstly, a few words about avoiding conflict because
#2 Seven Reasons to Embrace Conflict Keep Reading »
In his instructive books, Patrick Lencioni has written about the importance of conflict to team dynamics. He explains persuasively that trust allows for the conflict that is required in order to reach commitment, accountability, and maximum results. This post can be viewed as an expansion of the conflict function of a team in which
#1 Conflict and Creativity on Teams Keep Reading »
