Beyond Intractability: A Free Knowledge Base on More Constructive Approaches to Destructive Conflict

Introduction: Silke Hansen of Community Relations Service suggests that mediation often means more than simply reaching an agreement. On her view, the process that parties go through to reach agreement sometimes changes the dynamics of their relationship.

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Negotiating Your Own Solution
Silke Hansen
Senior Conciliation Specialist, Community Relations Service

Interviewed by
Julian Portilla
2003

Mediation is so much more than coming up with a good agreement. In a case like that, let's say you had a brilliant judge heard the case and came up with the same agreement. The outcome would have been totally different and probably would not have been accepted by either side, or certainly either side would have been quite unhappy with it. The key part of the agreement is the process that the parties went through to reach the agreement. The process totally changes the relationship and the dynamics between the parties. That's such a key part. It doesn't mean that they will never have conflicts again, but the dynamics of how to deal with those conflicts has changed somewhat and that's wonderful.

Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it. -- George Bernard Shaw

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Beyond Intractability Version IV
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