• At this time more than ever during the Covid19 crisis:

    It is important that we don’t put problems on hold. I am available for online consultations, mediations, and facilitations.

Communication | Problem-solving | Decision-making Assistance

PDF Display | Seven-Steps for Effective Problem-Solving

Enjoy free: “Seven Steps for Effective Problem-Solving” PDF 

Whether at work, at home, or in the community, we run into conflicts in our relationships and we face important decisions that are difficult and about which there is disagreement.

Most of the time, we work things out. But sometimes we don’t know how to deal with a conflict. Sometimes we try to avoid it but it gets in the way. Sometimes it ignites and causes damage. Or we’re stuck and at odds when we have a important decision to make.

Getting help in these situations is taking charge of the problem, avoiding harm to the relationships and unnecessary costs to an organization. When approached in the right way, conflicts and disagreements are opportunities to improve relationships and systems. As a “third party,” I can help you or your team, group, or organization successfully communicate, overcome the problems you face, and make important decisions.

In addition to traditional face-to-face mediation, facilitation, and consulting, I offer online video inter-personal mediation and group facilitation. I am based in Eugene, Oregon but can offer my services online without any geographic limitation.

Welcome

“Working with Tim was a game-changer for our team of sales professionals. He was able to facilitate meaningful dialogue around the communication and interpersonal roadblocks our team faced, and helped us develop tools and rules to navigate these complex challenges more successfully. We were surprised and elated about how much progress we were able to make together in a relatively short amount of time. We look forward to continuing our work with Tim and couldn’t recommend him more highly.”

“Tim Hicks brings a high level of expertise in conflict resolution and organizational skill building. We benefited very much from his engagement with our group.”

“Over the years I utilized Tim’s strong services on several occasions at Canine Companions for Independence. Tim is a very capable facilitator and quick read who gets right down to business. In conflict management, he listens to all sides, cuts through the extraneous and creates a comfortable, non-combative atmosphere. I have recommended Tim to other NPO directors as I have high confidence in his process and output.”

“I contacted Mr. Hicks to work with my staff to develop a culture of trust and rapport after a series of events had caused some significant issues in those areas. Mr. Hicks spent four months listening to staff, providing a safe environment for those who expressed fear and distrust, and reached out to those at every level of the organization. With the information that he gathered, Mr. Hicks worked with management staff in developing an action plan. Throughout the process, Mr. Hicks was approachable, friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. He was also realistic in identifying what could and should be prioritized for change.”

PDF Display | Seven-Steps for Effective Problem-Solving

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This brief article, “Seven Steps for Effective Problem-Solving” will give you a road map for moving from disagreement to agreement, helping you organize your thinking and identify and address the needs of everyone involved.

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Tim’s recent book

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Embodied Conflict: the neural basis of conflict and communication

My most recent book, Embodied Conflict: the neural basis of conflict and communication, has been called groundbreaking. It offers insight into how the way our brain functions helps to explain why conflicts happen, why they can often be so difficult to prevent or resolve, and why we have the perceptual biases that we do. With better understanding of why we behave the way we do in the face of disagreements and differences, we can be more able to better manage and engage in our social relationships.

Introduction to Embodied Conflict: the neural basis of conflict and communication
Characteristics of the neural encoding function, the basis of learning, memory, cognition, and identity, are at the root of and help to explain conflict in our social relations and why some conflicts are difficult to prevent and resolve. Embodied Conflict presents the neural encoding function in layman’s terms, outlining seven key characteristics and exploring their implications for communication, relationship, and conflict resolution.

Read Excerpts

Unsolicited Reader Responses

…… just finished your book. I have never underlined so many passages in a book as I have with ‘Embodied Conflict’. More than presenting the new insight of neural structure and physiology into conflict understanding and resolution you have provided an immensely valuable compendium of conflict resolution concepts and practices.
Perhaps the benefit of having read various mediation texts addressing such methods as transformative insight interest-based mediation etc. helped me appreciate the depth and breadth of your ‘discussion’ as you call it.
If your ‘discussion’ was my first read I would not have appreciated the wealth of wisdom you share. Thank you for your contribution the conflict resolution field. I love your new book. I am running out of highlighters. This is a must read for every conflict worker or anyone in a related field!

Additional Reviews

“Practical, accessible, easy to read, and yet deeply rooted in science, Tim Hicks has written an extremely valuable book for conflict specialists or for anyone struggling to understand the conflicts they face in life. Starting from the premise that ‘an understanding of the neural workings of the brain’ will help us to better understand and intervene in conflict, Hicks walks us carefully through an understanding of essential concepts of neural science and then applies these both broadly and specifically to how we can understand what happens in conflict and how we can use this understanding in very practical ways. This is a very valuable addition to our understanding of conflict.”

“Addressing one of the important issues of our times, Tim Hicks provides a clear and readable analysis of the scientific basis of human conflict.  At a basic level, he explains the mind’s embodied basis in the neurobiology of personal development.  At the same time, he also recognizes the psychological reality of conflict.  We must realize that what we are negotiating in our most intense conflicts is not just some material self- interest, but the very foundations of our identities.”

“Embodied Conflict: The Neural Basis of Conflict and Communication by Tim Hicks is a well-written and thoroughly researched explanation of this new and vital area of thought for mediators and dispute resolution professionals, the best compilation of this knowledge base that I have seen.”

Your book is one of the missing puzzle pieces in the puzzling world of conflict. It’s a brilliantly articulated work that speaks to the “why” aspect of conflict. It should be on every reading list for students studying the field of conflict resolution. This book and the ideas within it are truly ground breaking. I’ve been waiting for something like this to come along and make sense of much of what we talk about in conflict resolution.

Purchase "Embodied Conflict" on Routledge
Purchase "Embodied Conflict" on Amazon