Samantha Hardy

Challenges in our practice – hearing from the practitioners

In our Conflict Leadership Program last month, we discussed various challenges in our practice as mediators, conflict management coaches, and conflict management consultants. While there were a number of themes (including working with clients exhibiting challenging behaviours and managing strong emotions), surprisingly, the most commonly mentioned challenges were the limitations that are imposed by the systems […]

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WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: The Human Network by Matthew O. Jackson

This book is a fascinating account of how networks work. It explores how who we are connected to, directly and indirectly, can make a significant difference to things like power, opportunities, spread of infections, and dissemination of information. It also demonstrates how different kinds of connections (e.g. whether you are the hub of various connections,

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CRITICAL REFLECTION: Power balancing

The Australian National Mediation Accreditation System Practice Standards refer to power in a number of parts: “A mediator must have knowledge [about] the dynamics of power and violence.” (Clause 10.1(a)(i)) “A mediator must be alert to changing balances of power in mediation and manage the mediation accordingly”. (Clause 6.1) “A mediator must have the ability

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WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: Thinking with Your Hands by Susan Goldin-Meadow

I found this book absolutely fascinating. While I’ve read a lot about body language, this book is about something distinct and different. It is about the hand signals that we use in conjunction with speech, and how they can communicate and sometimes change what a person is thinking (both the person gesturing and the person

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WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: Managing Conflict Mindfully by Leonard L. Riskin

In this book Riskin covers three different areas that are useful in managing conflict. The first part is a basic overview of various negotiation theories (positions and interests, emotions and core concerns, and difficult conversations). The second part introduces some different approaches to mindfulness practice. The third part explores Internal Family Systems and how this

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WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: Your Future Self by Hal Hershfield

This book is all about harnessing the power of intertemporal choice – that is, understanding how the choices we make today will have an impact on the future. Hershfield explores how we tend to think about and relate to our future self / selves, and how various approaches can lead to very different outcomes. He

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WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: The Perfection Trap by Thomas Curran

This just released book is a fascinating exploration of perfectionism – what it is, where it comes from, it’s impact, and how we can escape from it. Curran explains that perfectionism is much more than high standards and a tendency towards hard work. It’s an entire worldview – a way of existing that defines how

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CRITICAL REFLECTION: Confidentiality

Mediation is often described as a confidential process, however confidentiality is not straightforward and there are many variations and exceptions to the principle of confidentiality in mediation. These variations may depend on what the mediator and the parties agree on, which model of mediation the mediator offers (e.g. facilitative, transformative, narrative), the substance of the

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