Mediation Musings: Ideas

Mediation Musings: Ideas

By: Sara Barnes

This month I ask you to get out your reading glasses and absorb some new ideas from various authors. I’d like to introduce you to writers who are expanding knowledge in the field of conflict resolution and connected topics. Happy reading!

“7 Amazing Facts about Emotions — What Science Reveals about the Way You Feel” by Michael Miller and Alexandra Tanon Olsso.

Gaining strong background knowledge about emotions is crucial for all conflict resolvers. “Understanding how emotions work empowers you to navigate them more effectively. Emotions aren’t just fleeting moods or problems that get in our way. They are powerful biological signals that flow constantly between our brains and bodies, collecting data and regulating us; helping guide us through important decisions, meaningful relationships, and life’s complexities.” The article includes links to Plutchik’s wheel of emotions, a favorite graphic to explain the complexity of ourselves as emotional beings. Read the article here.

“3 Types of Conflict and How to Address Them” By Katie Shonk

Shonk writes about workplace conflict; the ideas can be applied in many life areas. “In particular, three types of conflict are common in organizations: task conflict, relationship conflict, and value conflict. Although open communication, collaboration, and respect will go a long way toward conflict management, the three types of conflict can also benefit from targeted conflict-resolution tactics.” Read her suggestions and the article here. And here’s another by Shonk about dealing with difficult customers.

“Disagree Better” by Tammy Lenski

Lenski suggests our conflict mindset impedes our ability to come to agreement. She suggests we might benefit from a reframe of how we think about disputes: “The answer isn’t to try to agree more or disagree less. It’s to stop treating disagreement as a liability and start treating it as an asset. It’s to disagree better…. Skilled disagreement has two main components: building tolerance for disagreement and developing the language, habits, and approaches for responding effectively.” Here’s the article. Here’s another article by Lenski, about having a stress-free new year.“

Read the full Mediation Musings article here.

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– Divorce Client

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– Facilitation Client

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– Conflict Coaching Client

“It was valuable to help me handle a current conflict in my workplace. Putting a positive spin on conflict was an eye-opener for me. It gives me a structure to address problems. We had a very serious conflict at work recently so this is very important and relevant to me right now.”

– Workplace Conflict Management Services