2012 ACR Conference to Feature Work of Ombuds

The next Association for Conflict Resolution conference will include presentations by three Organizational Ombuds (including two IOA board members) and other programs about Ombuds.  The theme of the twelfth annual ACR conference is "Creating Connections: Conflict Resolution in Deeply Divided Times," and will take place September 12-15, 2012 in New Orleans.

Here are the descriptions of the four Ombuds sessions:

• Straight Thinking: Common Logical Fallacies Conflict Resolvers Experience [Sep. 13, 4:00-5:30 pm]
  Brian Bloch, Potomac, Maryland
  We often succumb to unclear thinking in our day-to-day lives. How much more so do those we work with when faced with a situation causing them angst. Fallacies often seem reasonable, but when looked at carefully, they muddy our thinking and often lead to choosing decisions later regretted. In this quick paced presentation, we will cover the most common fallacies I have found in my Ombuds/facilitation/mediation work and how to remedy them. This presentation draws from “Straight and Crooked Thinking” by Thouless, and “How to Win An Argument” by Gilbert.

• Conflict Coaching for Ombuds and Embedded ADR Providers [Sep. 14, 4:00-5:30]
  Cindy Mazur, Washington, DC; Linda Baron, Washington, DC; Loretta Vardy, Washington, DC
  Conflict Coaching has become part of the tool kit of many conflict resolution practitioners and has been used successfully in the workplace. How can mediators work in the organizations they serve – as organizational ombuds or as embedded providers - and most effectively use this tool to facilitate employee success, resolve workplace conflicts, and support their organization’s missions? This session will offer a model of coaching suitable for use by internal providers. Participants will have an opportunity to practice the model and to discuss considerations such as confidentiality, neutrality, advocacy, trust, and pre-existing relationships, and how they impact the practice of coaching by internal providers in the workplace.

• The Ombudsman, a Jack of All Trades [Sep. 15, 8:30-9:00 am]
  Anamaris Cousins Price, Houston, Texas; Melinda Miner, Houston, Texas
  Ombuds programs are an invaluable resource for organizations interested in managing conflict at the lowest possible levels. Throughout this presentation, participants will learn how to harness the influence of their office and how to implement various ADR techniques in their practice including mediation, coaching, counseling and more.

• Changing the Old Ways of Doing Business via the Transportation Ombudsman's Office [Sep. 15, 10:15-11:45 am]
  Marcell Walker, Saint Paul, Minnesota
  The presentation will demonstrate how a non-traditional ombudsman office uses conflict resolution and mediation techniques to resolve technical matters revolved around transportation. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is responsible for following industry engineering standards and state and federal laws regarding how it manages, develops, and maintains the State’s transportation infrastructure. When the Transportation Ombudsman’s Office is called to resolve claims against the State, it must find innovative methods to connect both non-technical and technical individuals, elected official, and the public together to find a process for addressing concerns. 

Early registration for the conference closes August 11.  (ACR 2012 Conf. Info., Sessions.)

Related posts: Minnesota DOT Ombuds Office is Honored for Work; Interviews with Leading Ombuds Give Perspective on Future of Profession; Researcher Calls for Ombuds to be Regular Part of Disaster Response; ACR Conference to Feature Several Ombuds [2011]; World Bank Ombuds to be Featured at ACR 2011 Conference; Ombuds to Speak at Conference for Minority Professionals in ADR.