Sometimes the gap between people seems so big that no common ground exists, no collaborative solution possible. Sort of like the current gap between U.S. Democrat and Republican politicians, negotiating the national debt? Or maybe the gap in a project team, in which teamwork is just a notion? Or, maybe the gap between businesses, or […]
11 Reasons why Grandmothers are good Mediators
July 8, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Let’s leave our dispute resolution expertise aside for a moment. If I had to package up the skills that a mediator, or anyone tasked with facilitating negotiations, would do well to have, that package might surely remind you of a grandmother you know, or knew. Here’s why: Grandmothers are good at seeing the positive core […]
How to build dispute resolution capacity in public jurisdictions and systems
July 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Conflict is part of our lives, from Day 1. Disputes happen; all kinds of disputes. Public jurisdictions, and systems, should ensure that there are sufficient resources available for people and organizations to resolve disputes. They should. Few do. How to build local capacity Larry Susskind is a leading figure in the field of public dispute […]
Summer, jazz, and lessons learned
June 30, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Summer and festivals go together. I’ve been volunteering this week at Jazzfest, the Victoria International Jazz Festival. It’s the 27th annual. It’s a great festival. I’ve volunteered other years, too. It’s one way I show my appreciation for what jazz has given me. Jazzfest, the festival The Victoria Jazz Society is a professional arts organization […]
