The Ombuds Blog: Podcast: Ombuds and Coach Talks About Intersecting Conflict

January 26, 2026

Podcast: Ombuds and Coach Talks About Intersecting Conflict

Lexi Wolfe, CO-OP, is the most recent guest on the Blessed Be Podcast hosted by Robert Polanco and Dawn. (She is the fourth Ombuds to be featured on the pod.) Wolfe shares insights from more than a decade of experience as an Ombuds, International Coaching Federation Certified Coach, and consultant working with individuals, teams, and organizations engage conflict more productively.

In her conversation, Wolfe explores:

How Ombuds work, mediation, and coaching overlap—and where they differ;
How individual, relational, and organizational conflicts intersect; and
Practical ideas for helping others broaden perspective and discover new pathways forward

(Blessed Be Podcast.)

2 comments:

Anonymous1/26/2026 2:15 PM
I look forward to listening! And, with love and compassion, I was momentarily put off by the podcast title: from an Ombuds lens, the title of the podcast may evoke cultural or ideological associations (including dystopian or religious overtones - think The Handmaid's Tale) that feel misaligned with IOA principles of neutrality, independence, and broad accessibility. That said, I see four Ombuds have participated, so I may be missing something that I'll learn when listening...
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Organizational Ombuds

Organizational Ombuds serve as a confidential, independent, neutral and informal dispute resolution resource for a specific entity. They are accessible to a defined population and can advocate for fairness. These unique characteristics distinguish Organizational Ombuds from Classical Ombuds, mediators, arbitrators, and other alternative dispute resolution professionals. The term "Ombuds" is shorthand for "Ombudsman," "Ombudsperson" and "Ombuds Officer," which also are used widely.

Some other variants include:

Brazil -- Ouvidor

Croatia -- pravobranitelji

France -- médiateur/defénseur

Germany/Austria -- Ombudspersonen and Ombudsleute

Italy -- difensore

Netherlands -- ombudspersoon

Norway -- ombudet

Poland -- Rzecznik

Portugal -- provedor

Russia -- омбудсмен

Spain -- ombudsman organizacional

Sweden -- studentombud

Switzerland -- ombudsmann

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