The Keystone Conference

Eye of the Storm Leadership - Chapter One (4/01/08)
Peter Adler
Peter Adler is pleased to here provide Chapter One of his new book "Eye of the Storm Leadership." This chapter is entitled: Guerilla Bridge Building and includes free access to the accompanying video.

Giving Politics a Makeover (1/11/07)
Peter Adler
Politics is a hard business. It has been variously described as war without bloodshed (Mao Tse Tung), the conduct of public affairs for private advantage (Ambrose Bierce), and the art of looking for trouble and applying the wrong remedy to it (Earnest Benn). The word itself comes from the Greek “polis” meaning the collective. Politics is all about all of us “together” and the making of choices about the distribution of power, rights, assets, liabilities, and obligations. If you are a mediator or facilitator, this shouldn’t be foreign territory. It is something we help people do all the time.

Keystone Conference Final Report (12/01/06)
The Keystone Center & Mediate.com This is the final report of "Consolidating Our Collective Wisdom Conference" held at Keystone, Colorado October 8-11, 2006.

Keystone Pre-Conference Resources (11/30/06)
The Keystone Center & Mediate.com Here are the preconference resources shared with Keystone Conference participants before their arrival.

Keystone Conference: Megatrends for Mediators in Technology (11/28/06)
Colin Rule
Colin Rule speaks to megatrends in mediation focusing on technology issues. Video

Keystone Conference: Megatrends for Mediators in Economics (11/28/06)
S. Glenn Sigurdson
There are economic structures that are plausible alternatives that are shaping the world. The key drivers are the market: coercion and regulation, and community. The key goals are efficiency, security, and social cohesion. Video

Keystone Conference: Megatrends for Mediators in Politics (11/28/06)
Christopher Honeyman
Chris Honeyman speaks to the dynamic nature of both organized and disorganized politics. Video

Keystone Conference: Megatrends for Mediators in Media (11/28/06)
Richard C. Reuben
There are three media trends affecting conflict resolution—the bad, the good, and those that we do not know if they are bad or good yet. Video

Keystone Conference: Megatrends for Mediators in Governance (11/28/06)
Kirk Emerson
25 Year Megatrends in Governance (20,000 ft view). General trends (next 10 years): “Tectonic shifts in the boundaries of the state” Video

Keystone Conference: Megatrends for Mediators in Society & Culture (11/28/06)
Ann Gosline
Ann Gosline speaks to social and cultural trends involving the media & technology, economic and demographic forces, signs of encouragement and the search for meaning in a scary world. Video

Keystone Conference: Are We A Field - Moderator's Outline (10/26/06)
Carrie J. Menkel-Meadow
This is the outline utilized by Carrie Menkel Meadow as part of her moderation of a panel on "Are We A Field" with Juliana Birkoff and Peter Adler at the Keystone Conference during October 2006. This outline can be best utilized along with the video of this "Are We A Field" program in the MediateInside video player. Video

Keystone Conference: Yes, Conflict Resolution Is A Field (10/25/06)
Juliana Birkhoff
My role in this panel is to advocate for conflict resolution as a field. Peter Adler and I have debated this question for many years. Many years ago, Peter and I organized a little meeting of colleagues. We asked everyone to bring to dinner his or her map of the field. Our colleagues brought pictures, written descriptions, and a coat hanger and tennis ball model of the field. They did not disagree that there was a field and they agreed on a very small set of activities and principles that was core. However, there was wide disparity among the participants on what was in and out, and how to portray the field. Video

Keystone Conference: No, We Are Not A Field and Here is Why the Question Matters (10/24/06)
Peter Adler
if we really are a profession, then let’s stop dithering about it and get on with the hard political organizing needed to stake it out and lay full claim to it. If we are a profession, let’s make very specific recommendations from this conference to that effect and set in motion an agenda for pursuing it. This means finalizing agreed upon principles and practices, creating licensing and regulatory regimes to prevent any further encroachment of our work by other professions, and even poaching back that which has been nibbled away by others. On the other hand, if we are not a field but part of some kind of multifaceted social movement, then let’s not waste more time on professionalization issues and get on with strategically changing a few more parts of our societies for the better. Video

Senior Mediators Release Statement Urging Effective Negotiation Approaches (10/23/06)
There comes a time when even mediators will speak up. Mediators are normally quiet, priding themselves on their impartiality and neutrality. Now, however, over 75 of the world's leading mediators have "had enough" and have signed a statement urging that community, national and global leaders engage effective negotiation and mediation approaches.

Here is the text of the Mediators' Statement developed at the recent Senior Mediators Conference in Keystone, Colorado:

Given that the world is confronted with real and perceived threats from several international arenas we, the undersigned, urge that citizens of our nations insist their elected and appointed government officials immediately engage in honest, direct and unconditional negotiations with all authorities and powers who can resolve these pending crises in ways that are equitable and practical for all concerned without sacrifice to national sovereignty or security. As citizens of the world and as professional negotiators and mediators we urge that proven conflict resolution processes be employed now.

For more information and to express your support, see www.concernedmediators.org

Reflections of a Mediator (10/23/06)
Sharon Pickett

Create an environment,
Set the right tone,
Help folks to know
That they’re not alone.
Join with your clients,
Reassure fear,
Know where you’re going,
Make the path clear.
. . .