Open Space Coaching and Facilitation

Conflict may be:​

• ​the result of a harmful act, the facts of which are not in dispute

• associated with a series of unresolved disputes 

• associated with an issue of shared concern

• associated with a history of institutional betrayal and trauma. 

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When conflict and/or harm occurs, it is very difficult to move forward unless the conflict can be named and transformed.

 

Restorative practices are a range structured processes through which conflict can be transformed into cooperation (or other appropriate resetting)

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The conferencing format enables everyone affected to consider:

• what happened 

• who has been affected and how

• what is needed to put things right (repair harm; prevent recurrence; reset relationships).​

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(Australian Association for Restorative Justice)

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Stories

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Conflict Transformation

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"On February 19 and 20 the candidates for ministry and Phase 3 ministers participated in an excellent two-day workshop with Michael Wood on Conflict Navigation. The workshop could also have been entitled ‘Peacemaking’, as Michael focused partly on establishing healthy communication patterns in relationships – developing curiosity and refining our capacity to ask open questions, as well as deepening our knowledge of neuroscience, the body and conflict. It was a stimulating time of inter-active learning and community building" [Rev'd Fran Barber | March 13, 2025, https://pilgrim.edu.au/category/news/ ]

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Team support during Covid​

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A team of 15 people was experiencing stress due to the change and workload associated with COVID-19. Relationships were suffering and people were getting sick.

 

The team came together to refocus on what they were doing well (Appreciative Inquiry), refocus on core priorities, and commit to some simple strategies to improve their mutual support of each other.

 

The team leader reported in subsequent weeks that the workshop had been ‘transformational’ for the team.

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