Diplomats, Government Officials, Policy Makers and Think Tanks
As a diplomat, official or policy maker, the process allows you to test both traditional and unconventional ideas about conflict management, and take political and personal risks in a ‘safe’ environment where confidentiality is respected.
This experience is likely to enhance the authenticity of your policy recommendations because your ideas and reports will be drawn from within the world of the conflict itself – with all its volatility and unpredictability. You will be able to incorporate some of the intangibles that are so difficult for mediators, Track I and Track II diplomats to anticipate. These include:
How to manage the dynamics between parties
How to work with the emotional or ‘non-rational’ elements of the conflict
How to anticipate ‘spoilers’ and unforeseen external developments
How to evaluate the question of ‘ripeness’ from an insider’s-view
How to manage personal chemistry between leaders
How to prepare for the ‘day after’ agreements
“It was a thoroughly exhilarating experience to coach the team throughout an intense simulation of negotiations. From session to session, I could sense my team – nearly all diplomats who had never dealt with the issues – coming to grips with the nuances, expanding their knowledge by many degrees.”
Yossi Alpher, coeditor, bitterlemons; former director, Jaffee Center for Strategic Studies, TAU