Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
EAP professional and clinician Katie Gilfeather (top left), AllOne Health Regional Executive Director Michael Stuart (top right) and Sandwich Town Manager Bud Dunham discuss conflict management during an MMA webinar on Nov. 2, 2022.
At a time when effective conflict management has become increasingly important, the MMA offers a number of webinars that are available on www.mma.org and MMA On-Demand.
The sessions are designed to help local leaders navigate challenging conversations to better support their communities.
In a two-part series, Sharon Select Board Chair Kiana Pierre-Louis, who’s also assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion at Northeastern University, shares how to have productive difficult conversations. Part 1, Empathetic Dialogue in Volatile Times, explores the foundations of having conversations amid tension, and how a trauma response can affect communication. Part 2, Practical Tips for Productive Dialogue, provides additional tips for engaging in difficult dialogue.
Coping with Conflict: Internal Resolution Strategies, led by AllOne Health Executive Director Michael Stuart and Clinician Katie Gilfeather, highlights strategies for effective internal conflict management, including in the municipal workplace and within volunteer committees and councils, and for negating its negative effects and maintaining a positive and healthy work culture.
In Regulating Comments at Public Meetings: De-Escalation Strategies for Uncivilized Discourse, Gilfeather shares practical tips for de-escalating public anger. Topics include how to maintain composure and use constructive language, how to respond rather than react, and how the timing of communication makes a difference.
The MMA’s Virtual Municipal Leadership Academy offers a professional development series on topics of emotional intelligence led by Cally Ritter, principal of Positive Ripple Training and Consulting.
The first session, Emotional Intelligence 101, explores the five components of EI (self-awareness, self-management, motivation, social skills, and empathy). Empathy and Emotional Intelligence: The Customer Connectors, discusses how to leverage emotional intelligence to meet customer needs, defuse public anger, and disarm demeaning behavior. Tackling Tough Conversations with Emotional Intelligence shares strategies for delivering difficult feedback, setting boundaries by saying “no,” and handling instances where you may disappoint others.
The Virtual Municipal Leadership Academy webinars are available on MMA On-Demand for a small fee.