Parent (Previous) Guide Folders
  Constructive Conflict Guide >
  The Complex Factors That Make Intractable Conflict So Difficult >
  Conflict "Overlay" Problems >
  Collaboration Problems
______________________

Distrust and Lack of Confidence That People Will Live up to an Agreement

BI Article
Distrust
Distrust can result in a self-fulfilling prophecy, where every move another person makes is interpreted as evidence to distrust him/her. When the other person reciprocates this sentiment, there is mutual distrust that further fuels the escalation of conflict.

BI Article
Trust in Mediation
Alan Gold harped on the importance of trust in mediation when he wrote, "The key word is 'trust.' Without it, you're dead. Without it, stay home!" This essay explains why trust is so important in mediation and introduces trust-building strategies.

BI Article
Jayne Docherty: When the Militia Are Your Neighbors and Your Community is a Microcosm of the Country
Jayne Docherty tells the story of the interactions between her liberal city and conservative county. Unrecognized commonalities of interest abound.

Related Folders
Trust Earning / Guarantees
Our trust in another individual is grounded in our evaluation of his/her ability, integrity, and benevolence. That's what we need to demonstrate to earn another's trust.

Colleague Activities
The Risks of Being Too Unpredictable in Negotiation
Excessive unpredictability in negotiation is a double-edged sword. It might create momentary leverage, but it can just as easily undermine the very trust and credibility that successful deals rely on.

Colleague Activities
Establishing trust and distrust when states leave international organisations: the case of Brexit
When states leave a common institution and their relationship with each other is deprived of previous institutional certainties, trust becomes both necessary and precarious.  In the case of Brexit, both sides deeply distrusted the other.

News and Opinion
The Secret History of the U.S. Diplomatic Failure in Afghanistan