Great Reads Book Club: “The Guide to Reflective Practice” by Michael Lang

On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Mediate.com hosted our “Great Reads book club event with Michael Lang about his book entitled The Guide to Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution.

Michael was interviewed by Clare Fowler and Jim Melamed and then we opened the floor for questions, comments and an exchange of ideas.

Here is an AI podcast of this interview:

Here is the YouTube video interview:

The Guide to Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution

Michael has over 40 years as a practitioner, educator, author, and advocate for mediation, Michael’s has been a leading voice in the profession of mediation. In October 2020 he was awarded the Outstanding Professional Family Mediator award by the Academy of Professional Family Mediators; and in 2012 he received the John Haynes award from the Association for Conflict Resolution

Every person in a conflict resolution process sees the world differently and acts in a distinctive manner. Yet, by following well-developed practice routines, practitioners often fail to consider the unpredictability of human interactions and overlook behaviors that are inconsistent with their expectations. To respond effectively to surprising and unpredictable events, this book encourages practitioners to adapt their thinking, so they can use their knowledge and skills when situations do not match their assumptions or are inconsistent with their practice routines. 

This book is a commonsense guide to becoming a reflective practitioner, written by a practitioner for practitioners. Relying on actual practice situations, stories, and self-guided exercises, it responds to the questions: Why should professionals care about reflective practice? How do its principles and methods increase competence? What characteristics distinguish reflective practitioners?

Check out our past book club gatherings HERE.

                       

Michael Lang

For over 40 years Michael has mediated family, workplace and organizational disputes. He has designed and presented introductory and advanced mediation and conflict management courses, workshops and webinars in the US and internationally. Michael created one of the first graduate programs in conflict resolution in the US at Antioch University… MORE >

                       

Clare Fowler

Clare Fowler is Executive Vice-President and Managing Editor at Mediate.com, as well as a mediator and trainer. Clare received her Master's of Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law and her Doctorate in Organizational Leadership, focused on reducing workplace conflicts, from Pepperdine… MORE >