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?

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. 

Michael Lang is a mediator with more than 30 years experience in the areas of family, workplace, organizational, congregational and public policy disputes. Michael is the founding Director of the Master of Arts Program in Conflict Resolution at Antioch University.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter One: Reflective Practice – An Introduction
Chapter Two: The 9 Attributes of a Reflective Practitioner
Chapter Three: Theory—What We Think Shapes What We Do
Chapter Four: How Research Improves Practice
Chapter Five: The Methods of Reflective Practice
Chapter Six: Reflective Debrief
Chapter Seven: Becoming Reflective Practitioners — Next Steps
Bibliography

A Guide to Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution is an outstanding contribution to the conflict management field. With Michaels’ creative insights, practical case examples, and innovative techniques, he inspires practitioners to examine and understand what guides the strategic and tactical choices we make in our work. This book is a must-read for practitioners who strive to bring their personal best to their work and for educators and trainers who strive to inspire learners to do so.
— Cinnie Noble, CINERGY® Coaching, author of Conflict management Coaching: The CINERGY Model and Conflict Mastery Questions to Guide You

Michael Lang has been a leading voice in bringing reflective practice methodology to the field of mediation. In this book, he enables the mediator to draw out their learning from their own work. His style engages the reader, his exercises evoke reflection and learning, and his case examples provoke new thinking.
— Dr. Delma Sweeney

Lang’s much anticipated Guide to Reflective Practice in Conflict Resolution is an indispensable resource for conflict specialists who prize excellence over experience. It is also an essential guide for those of us supporting new practitioners in thoughtfully navigating the inherent uncertainties of working with conflict. In candid and conversational style, complete with vivid examples and practical exercises, the book itself is a beautifully tangible illustration of the reflective practice mind-set as it applies to our field.
— Rochelle Arms Almengor, John Jay College of Criminal Justice - CUNY

Michael Lang’s reflective practice guide is a gift to current and future practitioners, from students to novices to the most experienced experts. Rather than a prescription for a specific practice model, it is a delightful and accessible reference, full of examples from actual cases as well as exercises designed to help people continuously become more effective throughout their careers.
— John Lande, Isidor Loeb Professor Emeritus

Grab this wise and wonderful book plus five mediator friends and form your own reflective practitioner group. Langs book asks just the right questions to start you on your journey. Youll never regret it.
— Ava J. Abramowitz

The Guide reminds us there is no one size fits all, no single path, no one model or style of practice that is ideal for all practitioners. With over thirty years of experience as educator, practitioner, researcher, and author, Lang’s writing flows with clarity, confidence, conviction, and keen insights about how anyone might achieve excellence. By becoming a reflective practitioner, the reader will learn why reflection before and during mediation is so important. 
— David A. Hubbard, Mediate.com