Are there situations in which transparency is not helpful to parties in conflict? Definitely.

Being willing to openly share information about positions and interests while involved in a dispute is often a matter of timing. And, timing is a matter of where the parties are in the process of addressing the dispute and whether there is any room for trust to be nurtured.

Engendering trust and transparency is a dance. A conflict management specialist can be invaluable in helping disputants figure out if and how they can dance without stepping all over each other or getting stepped on. In other words, a conflict management specialist can assist the parties in constructive engagement.

Does constructive engagement only involve "making nice"? Definitely not.

Constructive engagement ebbs and flows with the emotions of the disputants. Exploring resolution to a dispute may require a combination of both destructive and constructive steps. The conflict management specialist helps the parties more thoughtfully consider their steps and whether each step is moving toward or away from getting needs and interests met.

Thanks.