A reflective look at impartiality, consultancy, and the blurry edges between them Many mediators encounter this tension. You are invited into a workplace to support the resolution of a particular conflict between two individuals, and along the way you notice broader structural or cultural problems. You may be qualified and well positioned to help. The
Mediator and Broader Consulting Read More »
Australian Walkley Award-winning journalist Tracey Spicer brings her investigative journalism skills and wicked sense of humour to explore AI’s past, present and future. Spicer uncovers the inherent biases the way AI works, as well as in the history of AI and who controls its future. She translates the abstract notion of systemic bias into concrete
Conflict really does have a bad reputation. We tend to treat it as something to prevent, contain, clear up, or make disappear. But what if we are wrong about conflict? Civil rights, women’s suffrage, and workplace safety laws did not come from people politely agreeing not to rock the boat. Progress came from people who
Tending the Fire: A Conflict Makeover Read More »
It’s a deceptively simple question. After all, mediation is voluntary. If one person says no, that should be the end of it. Yet, in practice, mediators are regularly drawn into the space between willingness and refusal. How far should they go in encouraging participation? When does providing information turn into persuasion? This blog post unpacks
How Do We Get Party B to Agree to Mediate? Read More »
There is a lot of noise about autism at the moment: claims, counterclaims, politics, and misinformation. But confusion about autism is not new. The boundaries of what it means, and the tension between those searching for a cause or cure and those seeking real support, have been contested for decades. In NeuroTribes, Steve Silberman traces
Adjunct Senior Research Fellow Dr Judith Rafferty represented The Cairns Institute at the 2025 Conference of the International Association of Genocide Studies (IAGS) in Johannesburg, South Africa (20–24 October 2025). The event, themed The Challenge of ‘Never Again’: Engaging with Protection and Prevention of Genocide, brought together global experts to explore how research, justice systems,
In September, the Conflict Management Academy (CMA) hosted a vibrant stall at the National Mediation Conference. CMA Director Dr Samantha Hardy and Trainer & Coach Mentor Dr Judith Rafferty had a fantastic time connecting with friends, colleagues, and conference participants — and, of course, sharing our super-cool CMA merchandise! It was a wonderful opportunity to
Conflict Management Academy at the National Mediation Conference Read More »
Samantha Hardy and Peter Hanson Every mediator, at some point, has sighed over coffee or in supervision and said: “The cases are getting harder these days.” But is that true? Are disputes genuinely more complex and intractable, or are we simply remembering the past through rose-tinted glasses? This question keeps coming up in training rooms,
Are Conflicts Really Getting Harder, or Are Mediators Just Getting Nostalgic? Read More »
Brené Brown’s new book updates some of her work on daring leadership, and includes excerpts from others’ work (including Adam Grant, Ginny Clarke, Amy Webb, Sarah Lewis, Dan Pink, Aiko Bethea, and Abby Wambach) relating to the two main themes: (1) the role paradoxical thinking plays in understanding ourselves, the people around us, and the
WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: Strong Ground, by Brené Brown Read More »
By Sarah Blake and Samantha Hardy Why the world needs mediation, but clients aren’t buying in We know the world needs mediation. The research is overwhelming: Dr Emily Skinner’s work, among others, shows that conflict is everywhere, in workplaces, communities, families, and politics. The cost to organisations and individuals is massive. And yet, despite this
Mediation Doesn’t Have a Marketing Problem, It Has a Clarity Problem Read More »