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Recommended Readings

  • Recommended Reading

    The Consensus Building Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Reaching Agreement

    Susskind, L. E., McKearnen, S. & Thomas-Lamar, J.

    This handbook on group decision-making for those wanting to operate in a consensus fashion stresses the advantages of informal, common sense approaches to working together. It describes how any group can put these approaches into practice, and relates numerous examples of situations in which such approaches have been applied.

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  • Recommended Reading

    Breaking the impasse: Consensual approaches to resolving public disputes

    Susskind, L. & Cruikshank, J. L.

    Drawing on his experience in the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, a leading mediator and his co-author provide the first jargon-free guide to consensual strategies for resolving public disputes--indispensable to citizen activists and to business and government leaders.

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  • Recommended Reading

    A manager’s guide to resolving conflicts in collaborative networks

    O’Leary, R. & Bingham, L. B.

    Collaboration continues to grow in importance, and public managers are increasingly using collaborative networks as a tool to accomplish public outcomes. Previous IBM Center reports on collaboration include “Leveraging Networks: A Guide for Public Managers Working Across Organizations” by Robert Agranoff, which describes the critical success factors for using networks to achieve important results. Another report, “A Manager’s Guide to Choosing and Using Collaborative Networks” by H. Brinton Milward and Keith G.

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  • Recommended Reading

    Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In

    Fisher, R., Ury, W. L & Patton, B.

    Everyone who ever has to deal with other people would benefit from reading this. (In other words, everyone.) It explains how to separate people issues from the problem, focus on interests rather than positions, and work together to create options that satisfy all parties. Though my work as a business analyst doesn't typically require this sort of opposed negotiation, I found a lot in here that will be useful in discussions with stakeholders over their needs and priorities. I'll also want to read it again the next time I'm considering the purchase of a home or car.

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  • Recommended Reading

    Managing Public Disputes: A Practical Guide to Handling Conflict and Reaching Agreements (1st Edition)

    Carpenter, S. L. & Kennedy, W.J.D.

    Disputing parties are often not aware of the predictable patterns of behavior in conflict situations, and they cannot usually identify options available for resolving differences. The resulting conflict often escalates and requires third-party professional mediators. Part One provides an overview of public controversies not limited to labor and management disputes where stakeholders are easily identified. Conflict management strategies are discussed. Part Two presents the steps necessary for managing disputes including the final steps of reaching and carrying out agreements.

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