Conflict has so much influence in individual lives and collective societies that my blog posts have four categories:
#1 Conflict Competence topics of Doing Conflict Better.
These articles and posts cover many Conflict Competencies. Conflict competence is a great life skill I’m delighted to use in the service of my clients and volunteer organizations. I also rely on those same conflict competencies when life tests me. Since everyone experiences conflict sometime, Doing Conflict Better is this category.
#2 Writing about how conflicts are depicted in fiction, nonfiction, popular culture, and current events.
In this category, I write about conflict in popular culture, fiction, and nonfiction using examples from others’ imagination and my own, and about the joys of living breastlessly. Being conflict competent allowed me to deal with the wretchedness of quadruple (yes, four) mastectomies after I was diagnosed with a rare, potentially deadly breast cancer.
#3 The Conflict Doctor answers questions you ask, with T.I.P.s (Theory, Implementation, Practice) to prevent a conflict, manage your current conflict, or be prepared for your next conflict.
These TIPs are my responses to your questions about conflicts, posed during workshops I teach, or that you submit online.
#4 The Cassandra File posts are my opinions, where I take a stand and analyze conflicts without my usual professional impartiality.
Please leave comments, sign up to receive emails when I post, and ask me questions.
Here’s a list of prior posts:
The mediator was Deborah Sword. She conducted an exemplary mediation conducted with dignity and professionalism. This case was perhaps more difficult than most. At first, I did not have high hopes for resolving this file at the mediation stage. However, Ms. Sword brought the participants to a point where we reached common ground and we were able to settle it fairly.
A lawyer at mediation
Deborah, we can’t thank you enough for your patient, gentle and professional instruction and for sharing your incredible knowledge and insight on how to deal with conflict and have difficult conversations. We learned a great deal over the course of a few days and have already made changes in our office. Thank you so much.
Consultation Client
Deborah went above and beyond with our client. She provided a full day workshop (instead the half day we quoted) to the team to help the client fully understand the dynamics of their conflict. Deborah’s depth and breadth of knowledge on the topic visibly reassured our client on several occasions. As well her expertise gave them considerable ideas and suggestions for future work they could do for themselves.
Consultation Client
