>>>>> "Steve" == Steve Langasek <vor...@debian.org> writes:
Steve> Hi Diane,
Steve> On Thu, Nov 02, 2017 at 11:48:05AM -0700, Diane Trout wrote:
>> I only just subscribed and only have read some of the discussion
>> so this may be a bit off topic or already discussed.
>> But I was wondering if the project has thought about explicitly
>> encouraging mentoring in techniques for handling interpersonal
>> conflict and helping members develop interpersonal skills?
>> I know there's active research into managing team conflict, and I
>> bet there are some Debian members who have been more effective at
>> helping other team members that we might be able to learn from.
>> I know we have methods to share technical skills via policies and
>> best practices, but how do we identify and share useful social
>> techniques?
>> For instance I think active listening is a useful technique when
>> trying to develop a consensus about a topic.
>> (e.g. http://ggia.berkeley.edu/practice/active_listening#data-tab-how
>> )
>> But I don't know how many others know about it and there would
>> need to be some adjustment for a distributed team like Debian.
Steve> Better skills for handling interpersonal conflict can never
Steve> be a bad thing. However, the Technical Committee exists as a
Steve> decision-making body of last resort, when consensus is not
Steve> possible (because two parties have incompatible goals, or
Steve> because discussion is not converging on agreement fast enough
Steve> to matter).
I think that Debian does need a decision making body of last resort.
I personally think these communication skills are critical for such a
body.
