Intergroup conflict might arise in any workplace, as there are a variety of groups working together to support and further the mission of the company. Some groups are defined by job title—the accountants, the lawyers, the marketing team. Other groups are defined by project or subject area. Still, others may be defined by the level …
Read moreIntergroup Conflict: Causes, Consequences, and Solutions
James F. Ring and some colleagues gave a fascinating talk at the recent ABA Dispute Resolution Section on Game Theory; Where it started was cutting a cake; Where it ended was cutting out the lawyers, at least by implication.
Workplaces are often a place of friendly competition, where coworkers work against each other to climb to the top of the profession. Workplaces also have a social factor to them as well because employees look for friends and acquaintances to make the workday more enjoyable. The combination of these elements can often lead to groups …
Read moreMobbing: A Form of Emotional Abuse in the Workplace
Many people participate in arbitrations every day. Arbitration covers disputes from business practices to disputes over fees to international investments. Parties may choose arbitration before or after a dispute arises, often by contractual terms. Businesses will opt for arbitration over litigation to save time and money when settling grievances before them. With arbitration becoming a …
I’ve handled any number of mediations where the parties and counsel view prospects for settlement with optimism. Lately, I’m seeing more and more pre-mediation conferences being held in complicated cases or cases where the prospects of settlement seem less likely.
Heidi and I would like to welcome you to Moving Beyond Intractability and the Massive Open Online Seminar Series. In this video we want to give you a quick overview of the rationale for the project and a bit of a preview of what you might expect.
Heidi and I would like to welcome you to Moving Beyond Intractability and the Massive Open Online Seminar Series. In this video we want to give you a quick overview of the rationale for the project and a bit of a preview of what you might expect.
This one we’re calling “Boys Will Be Boys — It’s Human Nature.” Many people assume that boys fight. I know my boys did and I didn’t constantly try to break up their fights. I thought that they were inevitable, and it was important to let them learn how to resolve their conflicts on their own.
We believe that society’s chronic inability to constructively handle intractable conflict constitutes a threat to human welfare that is at least as serious as that posed by climate change, infectious disease, or any of today’s other big social, political, economic, and environmental challenges.
I’ve been teaching a class at the University of Colorado on conflict skills. At the beginning of the semester, I ask students what they’re good at when they engage in conflict, and what they’re not good at – what they might like to learn how to do better.
