Copyrights

[Julie Smith]

Thank you, everyone, for this enriching conversation. I'm getting
glimpses of things I hadn't thought of before.  I loved what Kenoli
said, and then I loved what Ward said (though it was apparently so very
different, and I'm still curious about the deeper meanings), and I
appreciated the thoughtfulness and courage of those who raised concerns
in the first place, and I thought the Non-Guide itself was a work of
art.....

It is a good thing, in my view, to have the courage to do something new
and put it out there for all to see, and it is also a good thing to have
the courage to name a concern and express a willingness to deal with it
in all its complexities.  I feel space closing around those who are
speaking concerns, and I want to express my appreciation to them and to
everyone who has been willing to raise and explore the important
question of what it means to contribute our thoughts and words in this
forum.

Seen through the lens of conflict resolution, each of us now has five
basic choices.  Each of us must choose between one or more of these
responses:  avoidance, accommodation, compromise, competition, or
collaboration.

If the issue is important AND the relationships are important,
collaboration is often a good option.  Collaboration requires that we
step back from our positions (our proposed solution to the problem),
that we slow things down so we can reach a deeper understanding of the
underlying needs or interests being expressed, and that we work together
to craft a creative solution that takes into consideration everyone's
interests.

It sounds like a lot of work, I know, but it really isn't very hard.  If
the alternative is damaged relationships, unsatisfactory resolution of
the problem, and potential reemergence of the problem at a later date,
then it might be worth the effort.  It would be a real shame for people
of such good will to end up feeling badly about any of this.

The role of a mediator is to help people through the collaborative
problem-solving process, and I know several good mediators on this
list.....

Hmmmm.... an opportunity for that other conversation to continue in a
new and deeper way?  :)

Julie

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