Conflict Zen

Recent Posts from Conflict Zen

• How category errors make you a less effective conflict resolver

  Imagine that it’s two o’clock in the morning and this happens: Your doorbell rings; you get up, startled, and make your way downstairs. You open the door and see a man standing before you. He…

• What great conflict resolution is all about

  I live just down the road from the MacDowell Colony, the nation’s leading artist colony with a rich history of nurturing some of the greatest talents of the past century. My brother’s been a colony…

• Negotiation tips for tough economic times

  WMUR, New Hampshire’s ABC news affiliate, interviewed me for a feature negotiation tips story that aired earlier this week. We discussed ways to renegotiate rates on everything from credit cards to cable television, tips for…

• Surviving and thriving during job loss and other major change

  Blame is oh so tempting, however. One of the things I’ve noticed that people do when some difficult change hits is to ask, “Why is this happening? It’s got to be someone’s fault.” We don’t…

• The camel conundrum and the art of creative problem solving

  Jay Rothman, author of Resolving Identity-Based Conflict in Nations, Organizations, and Communities (Amazon link) tells this story: A Middle Eastern man died, leaving 17 camels to his three sons. The first son was to receive…

• In workplace conflict, don’t mistake your experience for reality

  Overheard in the grocery shopping line at the end of a workday: Woman 1 to Woman 2: You wear red a lot, you know that? Woman 2: No, I don’t. Woman 1: Sure you do!…

• The argument clinic

  Apparently Monty Python first aired 40 years ago today. In celebration, here’s a clip of their classic, The Argument Clinic: [Can't see the embedded video? Click here to view it on the web.] Happy laughter,