What Honeybees Have Taught Me About Dispute Resolution

Beekeeping is one of my hobbies when I'm not dedicating myself to dispute resolution. In my more than 10 years as a beekeeper, I've learned a few things that have impacted my approach to working as an arbitrator and mediator, and I want to share them with you in the hope they might help you as well.

Preparation can help both you and the bees.

As you can imagine, honeybee colonies don't particularly appreciate having their hive disturbed, so I prepare as much as possible for working in the hive. Setting objectives and taking practical steps to fulfill them enable me to work efficiently and quickly. As a result, I minimize the disruption to the bees and allow them to continue going about their business. If I am successful, I avoid the ire of the bees and their self-sacrificial stings. So, I not only achieve my own goals, but also allow the bees to remain happy and undisturbed.