Leaders and Leadership


Good Leadership

Louise Diamond talks about the importance of good leadership.
Herb Kelman explains that problem solving workshops can develop new approaches for transforming conflict, but cannot implement them. Track I leaders need to do that, and they need to educate the public to gain their support.
Mark Amstutz, a professor at Wheaton College, describes the factors behind South Africa's remarkable transformation focusing in particular on the role of moral leadership.
Mari Fitzduff talks about the need for strong leaders and the potential to learn from other conflicts.
Wallace Warfield discusses the importance of getting the right people at the negotiation table.
Mark Gerzon suggests that a good leader is one who knows how to deal with differences constructively.
Sometimes the leaders are not the people making the most noise, observes CRS mediator Bob Ensley.
Renaldo Rivera explains how he identifies leaders in community conflicts when he doesn't know the community.

Working with Leaders

Wallace Warfield describes how one identifies the real leaders in a group.

Issues of Bad Leadership

Mari Fitzduff talks about how leaders sometimes contribute to destructive social divisions.
Helen Chauncey points out that leaders can undo a lot of positive work if they don't share the peacebuilders' values. So working at the leadership level, along with other levels, is important in peacebuilding.
Sometimes you cannot work with some leaders, but you can work with others, observes CRS Mediator Stephen Thom.

Case Examples

Wallace Warfield talks about working with street gangs in New York City.
Mark Amstutz, a professor at Wheaton College, describes the factors behind South Africa's remarkable transformation focusing in particular on the role of moral leadership.
Nancy Ferrell explains how she persuaded a business community to address a racial problem with Iranian students by convincing the white leaders that the conflict might impact their financial interests.
Former Community Relations Service Mediator Nancy Ferrell describes how she dealt with potentially violent situations.
Renaldo Rivera explains how he identifies leaders in community conflicts when he doesn't know the community.