In this category, I discuss conflicts that shape how we recall and tell our stories. It’s an important topic because how conflict is depicted and reflected back to us, shapes and influences our understandings of the world.
I’m often disheartened at the negative and shallow ways that conflicts are depicted in fiction, nonfiction, popular culture, and current events. Inadequate analyses of conflicts contribute to the divisive polarization that currently rend politics and set us against each other.
Being conflict competent allowed me to deal with the wretchedness of quadruple (yes, four) mastectomies after I was diagnosed with a rare, potentially deadly form of breast cancer.
Bottom line: how to understand conflict is a core competency we all need in life and in society.
Stories are how we demonstrate our conflict competence and conflict incompetence. Stories are a safe place to figure out what we do or don’t want in our own lives and relationships.
On the other hand, fiction about competent conflict management, I am told often, won’t sell. Conflict sells. Incompetence sells. Dysfunctional interpersonal relationships also sell. Managing conflict with skill – big yawn.
What to do with my protagonist who is a Conflict Manager and very good at her job? My novel is an answer for those who say proficiently managing conflict isn’t interesting.
Soon, my finished novel might get published. Stay tuned.
Follow this blog for updates. Browse these posts where I use popular culture as examples of the good, the bad, and the ugly of conflict.
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
Please accept my deepest thanks also for your very thoughtful and thought provoking training. I have had many of our team share how valuable they felt that it was. You are very good at what you do and we are exceedingly fortunate to have you involved.
A Training Client
I found the assignments, class discussions, role playing, modeling the most valuable in this course. I appreciated the connection to current societal conflicts. I think the conflict analysis framework paper a valuable exercise. Deborah did a great job of taking over the class. Fabulous facilitator!
A Student
Deborah Sword 