Brace for impact: mediate, negotiate, fight back

You rock! EA’s are pivotal to the success of organisations. EA’s are ‘go to’ people (just like Radar) An EA’s role is one of leadership How do EA’s become more effective in the face of conflict?

Truth: Workplaces can be a challenge

Who am I to speak on conflict management? 17 Years in State and Federal Police 7 of those years in Tactical Operations, inc experience negotiating during armed conflict Training advisor in Iraq Burning desire to understand why humans love conflict!

This sums it up! Between what I think, what I wish to say, what I think I am saying, what you wish to hear, what you actually hear, and what you understand….there are 10 reasons why we may have difficulty communicating, but let’s try anyway. Bernard Werber.

Communication breakdown?

Put on your oxygen mask

The ’Goldilocks’ brain Organising principle of brain is to minimise threat and maximise reward For survival reasons, the brain processes threat faster than reward There are five times more negative networks than positive networks in the brain In order to use our resources efficiently, the brain relies on conditioning

Our pile of ‘stuff’

We are hard-wired to take the ‘easy path’

Optimal arousal in the brain

Self-control The Marshmallow Test

What does all this mean? Our heightened sensitivity to danger and fear means that we respond to negative stimuli much more quickly, dwell on them longer, and consequently have fewer resources available for other cognitive activity. In the context of negotiation, this means that it can take more work to build trust and work towards agreements by stimulating feelings of reward and pleasure than it takes to derail a process by doing something to trigger feelings of danger or fear.

Cont’d We possess an efficient system for dealing with conflict and/or stress that does not always work in our favour Dealing with conflict through mediation and/or negotiation will yield better results when our conscious intention is used in conjunction with our instincts i.e. Effective resolution of conflict uses both cognition and emotion

Mediation and negotiation “Mediation is not simply facilitated negotiation, but a facilitated social, emotional and cognitive process.” Jeremy Lack – Mediator/Attorney

Common conflict cycle

7 steps Preparation Openings Exploration Option generation Selection Closing Compliance Red Flags : Check yourself Remember that we are social creatures Collaborate rather than confront Red Flags : Check yourself Remember that we are social creatures Collaborate rather than confront

Creating conversations An “algorithm” for avoiding amygdala activation: When the … (de-personifies) I feel … (facilitates expression of emotion) Because I … (provides a rational basis) Would you mind … (closure)?

Optimal arousal in the brain

Thank you! Questions? Contact: Shane Horsburgh