Q&A with April Luncheon Speaker Shana Ellison

Written by Riley West
@RileyWest7

As a Credentialed Mediator, Shana Ellison will teach you how to get what you want at our next luncheon. During her talk “Communication Blocks and Boosts to Getting More of What You Want,” you will learn:

• How the decisions you make every single day influence what you get in life.
• How to evaluate what’s important to you; create opportunities; and assert yourself to claim what’s important.
• The importance of not just what you do, but what you don’t do. And how do you know what you don’t do? You have to change your outlook on life.

This talk is recommended for individuals curious about some of the things that influence our daily negotiation outcomes, what we miss out on and tools and awareness to do things differently.

Get to know our April speaker with this short Q&A.

How did you get involved in conflict resolution as a career?
I’ve always been interested in how people and processes work. This eventually led me to project management work and I found that I really wanted to learn more about facilitating the dialogue of not just what people say they want, but what their underlying interests are behind their position.

What are the biggest challenges you face as a Mediator?
As a volunteer mediator for our local juvenile halls, I get just the smallest peak into some very, very sad life situations. Many of these stories stay with me and make me so thankful for the love and abundance I am lucky to have in my life.

What is one of the most interest things you’ve discovered about conflict resolution through your research?
You never know what is going to happen, you can’t predict the end, and you must stay present, persistent and trust in the process. The most amazing things can come out when you allow people to come together in a safe environment and you can facilitate sharing about what’s really important. People drop their guard, become empathetic, compassionate and often come up with solutions that no one but them could ever invent or imagine would work. It’s a wondrous process to witness.

Is there anything else you would like WCA members to know about you?
I’m a strong animal rights activist. I’m particularly heart broken by the plight of the amazing, emotionally sensitive, social, intelligent elephants. Next time you see me, ask me why and I’m happy to talk about elephants any time!

Register now for the April luncheon.