Living in the more immediate world, its a new thing for me to make connection with someone across the world. Its even more powerful to speak with someone in a place which my heart is so bare to, having witnessed in the Waltz a massacre that occurred in your city.
I am an American, and an American Jew, who is trying to make sense of how to take action to support life, and love, and peace in the middle east. My girlfriend and I are actively speaking with our friends and colleages, trying to find our own understanding, and to move that into appropriate action.
And here I am connecting with you, a fellow creative artist and improviser, through a totally different channel.
I would love to hear how you are digesting the Waltz, and anything you'd like to share about your perception of it all...
You are in Lebanon. Wow! I just watched the powerful, and painful, new movie called Waltz with Bashir. It is an animated film that was made by an Israeli, filmmaker and ex-soldier.
Do you know of this movie?
It is quit powerful to be writing to a man living in the city in which I saw such pain...
I hope you are well, and look forward to meeting you more.
Hi,
A great way to get into Conflict Resolution is to begin with understanding and acceptance. Phelim McDermott did a workshop that I went to on Cooking Chaos that shows the way to resolve. I say resolve, but we do have to accept that somethings are not resolvable. Just end up knowing that there is a difference of opinion and being able to move on. Mainly, thus, a way of discussing. Generally, the two points to encounter strongly are the understanding and acceptance. Communicate, understand, accept and find the ending.
Raffi - I teach lawyers how to integrate concepts like "status," "yes, and..." and so on into their negotiations. Sometimes I bring in actors to do theatre exercises and then we debrief with application to law. Other times I bring in cases I have done and pull back the curtains to demo how we used improv techniques to get the cases settled. Some of the cases I talk about are in my book, others are more recent. Jeff
After reading all of the other posts, I find that I agree with and have used (or will use now that I'm aware of them) most of the ideas suggested. I can add one other suggestion. In a mediation session you often find someone who is unwilling or unable to reveal his/her true interest. I like to ask them to play the "imagine" game. "Imagine that this conflict was resolved in your favor." Or "Imagine that your dreams came true." What would it look like?
Reverse role playing can also be useful. Ask the parties to present the other side's position.
I'd like to know what you are doing now and what works for you.
The other way that improv is very useful is in training mediators. All of the games we use to develop listening skills are very useful for mediators.
Hi Raffi, Nice to e-meet you, and sorry if you have this twice, I had a little problem sending it.
This would be a long conversation but the bottom line would be
- get all sides in the same space
- get all sides to say what they see and hear (and not say what they think)
- get all sides to express how they feel (and not say what they think the other feels or thinks)
- get all sides to state what they want
- get all sides to name the higher objective, issue or problem without naming a person/group e.g. the objective is more housing for homeless people (where the conflict was between the management of a centre for the homeless, and the social services who place people in that centre, over the selection criteria for new residents).
- get the sides working together to address the higher objective and create solutions
As to how you get them to do all the above, well, "that depends!" I use a variety of improv games to get them to practice saying the first thing that comes into their head rather than filtering it though a lens of years of conflict or political correctness..
Kind regards
Kay
Hi Raffi,
Nice to meet you on the www! I teach people how to respond in conflict situations. Usually these are one-on-one situations. In my experience, people tend to react in a way they assume is appropriate, based on their own assumptions. With improve-techniques, I teach them to look and listen and be aware of this moment and this person and then react.
All the best!
At 11:33pm on January 28, 2009, Joost Kadijk said…
Hi Raffi,
Don't know if the kind of conflicts i'm working with (professional setting) are the kind of conflicts you're working with... Guess there's lots of similarities... what are you looking for?
I'll get back to you to describe the improv Full circle Theater did with inner city public school kids. They were kids, so it may be different, but we've done other work, including team-building work, etc. in all sorts of settings with adults.
I have done a few short workshop with some elements dealing with this. I will send you more info, but I also want to speak with a Full Circle Theater facilitator about it, since I was an improv actor for that, not the facilitator.
I'm getting ready for bed now, so give me a day or so to get back to you with good info.
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Living in the more immediate world, its a new thing for me to make connection with someone across the world. Its even more powerful to speak with someone in a place which my heart is so bare to, having witnessed in the Waltz a massacre that occurred in your city.
I am an American, and an American Jew, who is trying to make sense of how to take action to support life, and love, and peace in the middle east. My girlfriend and I are actively speaking with our friends and colleages, trying to find our own understanding, and to move that into appropriate action.
And here I am connecting with you, a fellow creative artist and improviser, through a totally different channel.
I would love to hear how you are digesting the Waltz, and anything you'd like to share about your perception of it all...
Drew
Steve Katz
You are in Lebanon. Wow! I just watched the powerful, and painful, new movie called Waltz with Bashir. It is an animated film that was made by an Israeli, filmmaker and ex-soldier.
Do you know of this movie?
It is quit powerful to be writing to a man living in the city in which I saw such pain...
I hope you are well, and look forward to meeting you more.
A great way to get into Conflict Resolution is to begin with understanding and acceptance. Phelim McDermott did a workshop that I went to on Cooking Chaos that shows the way to resolve. I say resolve, but we do have to accept that somethings are not resolvable. Just end up knowing that there is a difference of opinion and being able to move on. Mainly, thus, a way of discussing. Generally, the two points to encounter strongly are the understanding and acceptance. Communicate, understand, accept and find the ending.
Reverse role playing can also be useful. Ask the parties to present the other side's position.
I'd like to know what you are doing now and what works for you.
The other way that improv is very useful is in training mediators. All of the games we use to develop listening skills are very useful for mediators.
This would be a long conversation but the bottom line would be
- get all sides in the same space
- get all sides to say what they see and hear (and not say what they think)
- get all sides to express how they feel (and not say what they think the other feels or thinks)
- get all sides to state what they want
- get all sides to name the higher objective, issue or problem without naming a person/group e.g. the objective is more housing for homeless people (where the conflict was between the management of a centre for the homeless, and the social services who place people in that centre, over the selection criteria for new residents).
- get the sides working together to address the higher objective and create solutions
As to how you get them to do all the above, well, "that depends!" I use a variety of improv games to get them to practice saying the first thing that comes into their head rather than filtering it though a lens of years of conflict or political correctness..
Kind regards
Kay
Nice to meet you on the www! I teach people how to respond in conflict situations. Usually these are one-on-one situations. In my experience, people tend to react in a way they assume is appropriate, based on their own assumptions. With improve-techniques, I teach them to look and listen and be aware of this moment and this person and then react.
All the best!
Don't know if the kind of conflicts i'm working with (professional setting) are the kind of conflicts you're working with... Guess there's lots of similarities... what are you looking for?
I have done a few short workshop with some elements dealing with this. I will send you more info, but I also want to speak with a Full Circle Theater facilitator about it, since I was an improv actor for that, not the facilitator.
I'm getting ready for bed now, so give me a day or so to get back to you with good info.
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