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Gary T. Furlong, The Conflict Resolution Toolbox (Wiley 2005)
Book review by Joe Epstein (Conflict Resolution Services, Inc., joe@crs-adr.com)
IAM Fellow Gary T. Furlong has authored a fine, ambitious book called The Conflict Resolution Toolbox: Models & Maps for Analyzing, Diagnosing and Resolving Conflict. Combining theory with practicality, Furlong provides blueprints for eight different models of dispute resolution and the tools to build them. These tools include worksheets that practitioners can use to map out dispute resolution models in order to diagnose the dispute and - relying on reflective analysis - to resolve the conflict.
Furlong's eight well-designed models include the older Circle of Conflict and Interests/Rights/Power models which already have wide acceptance in the mediation community. Others, like the Dynamics of Trust and Moving Beyond Conflict models, are new approaches that Furlong has designed for the adventuresome.
I highly recommend the Dynamics of Trust model, which can and should be integrated with your other mediation tools. The heart of this model is the concept that trust is a core issue between parties in conflict (p. 127). Furlong defines trust as "having positive expectations about another's motives and intentions toward us where potential risk is involved" (p. 128). The two key elements to this definition of trust are: (1) risk and (2) motives and intentions. According to Furlong, the degree of risk parties will take is dependant on the level of trust between the parties. Motives and intentions are invisible, so parties ascribe positive motive and intentions only when there is trust. Furlong includes a fascinating and insightful discussion of Attribution Theory (in short, who parties blame) which provides a new framework to deal with issues of trust and attribution during mediation.
The Moving Beyond Conflict model is based on the grief work of Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Furlong applies to mediation three stages of grief: (1) denial, (2) anger, and (3) acceptance. Experience with wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases validates the application of this new and innovative model to this genre of cases. I also agree with Furlong's conclusion that this approach may be utilized with employment cases, partnership conflicts, and family disputes.
Like Furlong, I believe that grief accompanies many of the situations involving loss that we see as mediators. Wrongful death and catastrophic injuries may be the most dramatic examples, but grief certainly accompanies the dissolution of professional practices and family firms, and many other conflicts, especially if the parties have had long standing relationships. Like Furlong (pp. 217-48), I believe that grief issues must be raised rather than ignored. Recently, I used both the Moving Beyond Conflict and the well-established Triangle of Satisfaction models in a successful mediation involving the molestation of a developmentally-disabled child in an institution by a person in a position of power and trust. Meeting before the mediation I encouraged the parents to discuss their feelings of Rage, Revenge, Retribution, Remorse, Regret, Restitution, Relief, Respect, Risk assessment, and Resolution, which with Furlong's models ultimately contributed to transformation.
Furlong's worksheets and analysis provide a marvelous roadmap for enhancing core conflict resolution techniques. His creativity and innovation are striking. My only disappointment is that Furlong did not delve into a discussion of instinct or spirituality in mediation. I cannot help but think that his insights on these topics would be invaluable. Nonetheless, this book is a must if you are looking for tools to conceptualize and deal with disputes. You will find both new tools and tried-and-true approaches that are newly refurbished and ready for use.
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