2018 SKILLS SYMPOSIUM: Toolz for Tough Conversations

This conflict de-escalation and civil discourse training program prepares individuals, organizations, and communities for difficult discussions, cross-sector deliberations and collaborative decision-making.

Participants strengthen key competencies for creating and leading inclusive community initiatives that engage diverse sectors in dialogue and deliberation on complex public issues. Our unique, multi-track engagement framework, body-based mindfulness strategies, and powerful conflict communication skills are useful throughout all phases of creating dynamic, inclusive, community engagement programs. This highly-experiential training demonstrates mindfulness strategies and provides time to apply key concepts in all phases of project design: scoping, invitation, implementation, evaluation, and continuous improvement and shared leadership.

PLEASE NOTE: International IAP2 members require a code to register. Please contact info@iap2.org to obtain it.

— Cancellation and Substitution policy —

Learning Objectives

At the end of this one-day course, participants will have:

Increased awareness of:

• Physiological and habitual reactions to conflict and personal stress patterns.
• How to apply a conflict assessment tool to a variety of community issues (social, legal, municipal).
• How to promote more active participation across sectors and perspectives on current projects and initiatives.
• Emerging pathways to advance shared concerns or bridge differences in viewpoints.
• Biases that can demean and get in the way of meaningful conversations.
• How to use silence and tension as a catalyst for deeper dialogue, deliberation and decision-making.

Increased ability to:

• Explain multiple strategies (2-3) to identify personal stress patterns and intervene on habitual reactions.
• Identify conflict alternatives to shift awareness to critical issues that must be heard to address a tough issue.
• Use a multi-track, or cross-sector framework for broad inclusion and engagement in both fictitious and current project applications.
• Prepare purposeful questions that explore the context of differences and escalating conflict.
• Form assertive statements for times you must take a stand or share an unpopular view.
• Distinguish different stages of a conversation, from dialogue, to deliberation and decision-making and invent options for mutual gains at each stage.

Course Overview

Prepare for stress and respond to conflict

Explain strategies to address personal reactions, and stress patterns (e.g., impacts you'd like to have on physiological and habitual responses).

Increase conflict awareness physiological and habitual), personal reactions, and stress patterns.

Listen fully & listen to learn

Apply conflict assessment tool to current community issue.

Prepare purposeful questions that explore the context of differences and escalating conflict.

Practice asking questions that clarify information, and converging and diverging views within the small group.

Scenario Walk-through

Explore Biases. Identify opportunities for inclusion.

Use a multi-track, or cross-sector framework for broad inclusion and engagement.

Increase awareness of biases that can demean and get in the way of meaningful conversations.

Explore ways to promote more active participation across sectors and perspectives.

Find common ground in times of difference

Explore Biases. Identify opportunities for inclusion.

Invent options for mutual gains.

Identify pathways to advance shared concerns or bridge differences in viewpoints.

Distinguish different stages of a conversation, from dialogue, to deliberation and decision-making.

Trainers:

Mary Dumas, President, Dumas & Associates, Inc, and Toolz Program Designer and Founder is a mediator and facilitator specializing in the productive use of conflict and change. Dumas & Associates Inc is known for inclusive stakeholder engagement in complex and contentious community issues. Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest and for 30 years has served public agencies, private organizations, academic institutes, tribes, and community groups seeking to engage diverse perspectives in policy, research and educational initiatives. She brings this practical, skills-focused approach to her work as professional development specialist for the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy and Leadership Whatcom educational coordinator.

Marina A. Piscolish, Ph.D., Principal Partner of MAPping Change, LLC specializes in collaboration and conflict resolution in culturally complex settings. An experienced facilitator, mediator, trainer and adult educator, Marina created the Conflict Resolution Program, the Institute for Public Administration at the University of Delaware before moving to Hawaii and launching MAPping Change, LLC. An affiliate faculty at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace, University of Hawaii, and The Collaboration Center, University of California, Davis, Marina serves in various leadership roles within the profession and co-authored Reaching for Higher Ground: Creating Purpose-driven, Principled and Powerful Groups (2009).

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