September 2002

I am privileged as co-chair of the Organizational Conflict management Section to make available to you the inaugural minutes from the Organizational Conflict Management section meeting held Aug 02 in San
Diego, CA.

As you can see there were a number of interesting and exciting conversations that took place at the meeting. Some points of interest are the Section Vision and Mission as well as our commitment to the Mutual Learning Network. We are also looking at linking our next Section conference with another related Section. We hope that you all had a great summer and we look forward to working with you to advance the objectives of the OCM Section. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me at leahborsa@eisa.com.

Stay tuned for more!
Leah Borsa, OCM Chair


Association for Conflict Resolution
Organizational Conflict Management (OCM) Section
August 24, 2002 Meeting Highlights

Agenda Outline
1. Introduction and Welcome
2. Crisis Negotiation
3. Section Vision
4. Mutual Learning Network Update
5. Advanced Practitioner Status
6. Conference(s)
7. Member desires for OCM Section
8. Going forward


1. Introduction and Welcome
-  Co-chairs John Conbere, Andrew Colsky and Jennifer Lynch , QC ,introduced themselves and opened the session. Participants in turn introduced themselves.
-  Theme was one of transition and taking stock of where we are at and want to go as a Section.


2. Crisis Management Section

§ The Crisis Management Section (CMS), which was formed by professionals with experience in such crises as hostage negotiation, was established this last year. The section is considering having a mid-year conference, probably linked to another section's conference.
§ The presentation served to introduce the CMS to OCM members and to signal their interest in partnering on mid-year conferences.


3. Section Vision
-  Consider whether the vision statement is still current and represents what the vision is (Discussion of systems design reaching beyond organizations and other than for organizations.)
-  Discussion:
-  How to design and implement conflict management systems through an organizational development lens.
-  Q. What of growth into B-B (business to business), B-G (business to government) and G_G (government to government) disputes and relations? What of a framing that captures the idea of empowering organizations to use/apply CM skills beyond the workplace? Area of future growth?
-  We should serve as an asset to lawyers. What of creating a real marketing and training program for section members?
-  Q. How do we define boundaries of the section?
-  Q. How do we increase section membership internationally? Would clarifying the focus achieve this?

Aug 30/02: Reference from http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/Sec-OCM

Section Description
The Organizational Conflict Management Section helps its members excel at developing integrated organizational conflict management systems so that organizations improve their ability to deal with conflict. It is hoped that these organizations can then spread the principles of conflict prevention and management into their communities so that society improves its ability to deal with conflict.

Mission (Why we exist/purpose)
To help members excel at developing integrated organizational conflict management systems, so that organizations improve their ability to deal with conflict.
And through such organizations, spread the principles of conflict prevention and management into their communities so that society improves its ability to deal with conflict.

4. Mutual Learning Network (MLN) Update
-  The MLN consists of Scott Sears, Ellen Wayne, John Ford, Stephanie Lahar, Deb Landen, Rick Linden, Carole Houk, and Leah Borsa.
-  The MLN originated out of section discussion around horizontal (peer to peer) and vertical (senior to peer practitioner) learning opportunities.
-  Following up on the Atlanta conference last fall, the MLN developed and conducted a feasibility study/implementation plan. It has since submitted a prototype to ACR for approval. Once the prototype is created, the MLN will bring it to the OCM section for refinement.
-  The prototype involves developing two (1. Senior Practitioner Interview and 2.Think Tank) of the six possible activities for a pilot launch. Stay tuned for more.

---- David Hart, ACR CEO, stopped in to express his thanks to
and encouragement of the OCM as a strong section ----

5. Advanced Practitioner Status
-  Purpose revisited. SPIDR grappled with this concept before the merger; the concept is seen in the previous family and current commercial sections.
-  Clarity sought around the definition of "systems design", the difference between the OCM and Workplace Sections, and of competencies involved for individual practitioners.

-  Response re: how we define "systems design" and how we differ from the ACR Workplace Section:
-  The OCM section and our mid-year conferences seek to offer an exchange of experiences in implementing a system design within an organization.
-  To explore the full range of issues around the use of dispute resolution, whether in design, implementation, or management of the system (i.e. not 'design' alone).
-  Refer to the Guidelines For The Design Of Integrated Conflict Management Systems Within Organizations by SPIDR's ADR in the Workplace, Track I Committee at http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/Learning!OpenView&Start=1&Count=100&Expand=7#7
-  To learn more about managing organizational conflict, strategic planning and problem solving.

-  Response re: competencies: Members referred to the Report on Competencies in Conflict Management Systems Design
by SPIDR's Committee on Credentials, Competencies and Qualifications (05/01/2000) at http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/Learning!OpenView&Start=1&Count=100&Expand=7#7
-  Question: "When do I/can I use the logo on group proposals?"
-  A logo would be practical, for example in helping to market training.

-  …which lead a discussion on possible thoughts on the use of accreditation.
-  Original intent was for competencies to serve as guidelines not requirements for practitioners in this line of work.
-  Need to ensure that the focus also includes organizational conflict intervention. (Reply: Note that the section was for more than individual interventions (like the Workplace Section focuses on, for instance).
-  Decision: Need to examine the concept of Advanced Practitioner Status and its implications for our section.
-  See discussion on section 7, Member Desires below for more.

-  Note that the Academy of Family Mediators (AFM) also has mechanisms to attain senior practitioner status. We need to together consider how to get there.


6. Next OCM Conference
-  Note: to date, someone leads off with a half day skills building session.
-  What do we want from our mid-year conference?
-  The Workplace Section has made a proposal to co-hold our mid-year conferences for reasons of overlapping interests, and for that of risk management! Intent in this latter regard it to minimize penalties if the conference/s could not proceed because there were not enough participants. Need identified to meet quota.
-  Crisis Negotiation Section also interested in co-holding a mid-year conference.
-  Feedback:
-  We could have some sessions together and some apart, i.e. a strategic agenda….
-  Yes- "combine or align"- same hotel, different dates, and a strategic agenda.
-  We should also consider Health Care and other sections as there are obvious linkages here as well.
-  Have a 'what works' and 'what doesn't work' storytelling/session on the agenda.
-  We have 14 months until the next ACR annual conference. Let's proceed!


7. Member desires for OCM Section
-  Cooperation to assist in projects and networking for contracts.
-  Validation, ex. guidelines.
-  To know what is needed is an organization to sustain a program, especially with leadership changes.
-  To bring prople to talk in a focussed way
-  To make connections which last.
-  To use a merger with technology to continue the conversation.
-  Subgroups that do projects.
-  To clarify the interaction between above themes and our Section vision.

Aug 30/02: Reference from http://www.acresolution.org/research.nsf/key/Sec-OCM

Vision (What we look like)
The section:
· Provides infrastructure and fora to formally and informally connect members and their ideas/experiences;
· Connects those interested in organizational conflict management with other SPIDR sections and with other conflict resolution disciplines and organizations;
· Identifies practice models, practitioner standards, and organizational standards;
· Provides educational opportunities for members to remain current with best practices.



8. Going Forward
-  Handover to New OCM Co-Chairs
-  At the end of this meeting, Jennifer Lynch and John Conbere stepped down as OCM Co-Chairs.
-  Jennifer Lynch expressed her thanks and how she has been enriched by her experience. Noted that we have a common cause that helps organizations empower people, which in turn leads to change in our society. John Conbere echoed these comments.
-  Leah Borsa, Ottawa, Canada, and Steve Levecque, Ottawa, have been elected the new OCM co-chairs.
-  Leah, speaking on behalf of both co-chairs as Steve was unable to attend, thanked the membership for their support in providing them with the opportunity to represent member needs and interests as we move ahead together as a section. She shared Steve's acceptance notes, which applauded the leadership and vision provided by Jennifer and John over the last number of years and highlighted the research and practices espoused by the OCM section as core to the development and advancement of the field of OCM.
-  Leah identified the need to revisit the OCM vision and what our work means at this point, i.e. to take stock. This information will help us to form our mid-year conference agendas and working group efforts to be better responsive to the needs of OCM section members (counting 600 and up).
-  Conference volunteers identified to explore the above ideas further with Leah and Steve:
-  Connie Macleod, Toronto
-  Alma Sisco-Smith, San Francisco
-  Jim Levy, Seattle
-  Ethics Committee
-  The role is to handle ethics complaints against OCM members.
-  Need to determine whether to have an ethics committee for our section (as this question has not yet been consulted on with the OCM section), and if so how to shape it into something that serves member needs.
-  Diversity Point Person
-  Role is to ensure effective outreach to and incorporation of different nationalities, races, creeds, and more.
-  Also need to explore this role further as it pertains to our section (i.e. including ACR parameters.)
-  Timeframe is important because the issue is being discussed right now.
-  Action: Leah and Steve to send information out, initiate OCM discussion via email so that we can make decisions on appointments within three months from today, November 24, 2002.

Most immediately,

Leah will take the feedback from this meeting back to Steve
and in turn present ideas to the broader OCM Section for discussion and action.

As a final note,

A very special thanks to Shirli Kirschner for her superb flip charting abilities!