Purpose

Founder

Dr. Mark Szabo, BA, MBA, JD, PhD, has developed a revolutionary approach to mitigating conflict risk that builds on the science behind complex systems. It is rooted in systems engineering, design thinking, law, psychology, communications, and his 20 years in practice. His book, Fight Different, clearly explains practical ways to use Focal Thinking™ to turn destructive conflicts around by using nature's approach to managing complex systemic conflicts.

Dr. Szabo can be reached here: mark@complexconflict.com

Purpose

  • Our purpose is to equip leaders, professional advisors, and conflict participants with resources and content specifically related to “complex” conflicts, i.e. large-scale public-facing conflicts that resist resolution and seem to take on a life of their own.

  • Provide a platform for subject matter experts to showcase and disseminate relevant resources and content.

  • Equip HR leaders with content that will help their teams handle large-scale, public-facing conflicts.

  • Provide opportunities for social engagement and community interaction.

Philosophy

  • Human conflict is a feature of our species, so it’s vital that we learn how to do it better.

  • As the world, real and virtual, shrinks and we humans are jammed ever tighter together, our values will only clash more. That diversity will only be a strength if we can meaningfully engage with each other. It behooves all of us to understand how we can effectively show up and responsibly participate in the challenging years ahead.

  • A significant body of scientific research points to the fact that complex conflicts behave very much like other natural systems. This means we can learn from how those systems work and find new ways to approach complex conflicts.

  • There are many ways to accomplish this, but unlike negotiations, complex conflicts may not necessarily resolve.

Approach

  • Our underlying approach can be summed up with the following Seven Principles of Focal Thinking (from Fight Different, by Dr. Mark Szabo):

    1. Principle One: Don’t try to control what can’t be controlled

    2. Principle Two: Don’t oversimplify matters just to make things comfortable for yourself

    3. Principle Three: Focus your effort on the interactions between individuals, not outcomes

    4. Principle Four: Aim for small nudges, not big wins

    5. Principle Five: Introduce more complexity when things between people have become stagnant

    6. Principle Six: Focus your attention on individuals with actual power, more than those with mere influence

    7. Principle Seven: Prioritize flexible resilience over inertia and consistency

Affiliation

  • The Center for Complex Conflict is a private corporate entity, with no government funding or public affiliation.

  • All opinions, perspectives, and content reflect those of the individuals involved and are offered for the purpose of open dialogue and robust engagement.

  • Personal abuse, ad hominem arguments, or direct incitement to commit a crime will not be condoned or tolerated.