Creative Conflict Solutions, an Hawaii consulting business, has just released a white paper, "A Clean Energy Future for Maui and Hawaii: Conversations with Key Players - Issues, Interests and Solutions". Authored by Creative Conflict Solutions partners Melanie Stephens and Dr. Phillis Robinson (see photo), the white paper represents the fruit of interviewing 17 leaders in Hawaii’s clean energy movement (see list below).
Robinson has a Doctorate in organizational psychology and Stephens a Masters in mediation and conflict resolution. They work with both businesses, non-profits, government agencies, with families and individuals to creatively resolve conflicts. The changes involved in shifting from a petroleum based economy to a renewable energy based economy inevitably are conflict charged.
Stephens and Robinson advocate a proactive preventative approach before conflicts take on a life of their own, lead to litigation and to win/lose or lose/lose scenarios. My experience advising businesses has shown that inter-personal conflict is the number one cause of business failure, which is why I have strongly encouraged consultancies like Creative Conflict Solutions.
Interviews for "White Paper":
Robbie Alm, Vice President of Public Affairs, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO)
Brad Albert and Matias Besasso, co-owners, Rising Sun Solar
Irene Bowie, Executive Director, Maui Tomorrow
Leo Caires, Owner, Maui Energy Co. (Residential Wind)
Alex DeRoode, Sustainable Living Institute of Maui (SLIM),
Maui Community College, Chair of the Maui County Energy Alliance Working Group Two, Education and Workforce Development
Mark Duda, President, Hawaii Solar Energy Association, & Partner/Finance, Distributed Energy Partners
J. Carl Freedman, Haiku Design and Analysis, Integrated Resource Planning, Public Utility Regulatory Affairs
David Fisher, Director, Hawaii Small Business Development Center on Maui
Mike Gresham, Former Director of First Wind
Ruby A. Hamili, Maui Attorney
John Harrison, Administrator, Maui Economic Development Board, Maui County
Kelly King, Co-owner, Pacific Bio-Diesel
Chris Mentzel, Owner, Clean Energy Maui
Rob Parsons, Former Environmental Coordinator of Maui County, Vice President of Maui Tomorrow, and Conservation Chair of Sierra Club of Maui
Ed Reinhardt, President and Sharon Suzuki, Renewable Energy Division
Maui Electric Company, Limited (MECO).
Ronald “Skeeter” Stebbins, of Maui Real Estate Company, representing Southland Community Development Corporation in the purchase of the Hana Ranch.
Charmaine Tavares, Mayor, Maui County and founder of the Maui County Energy Alliance (MCEA)
You can download the white paper at this link
You can also read an article about the whitepaper at the MauiWeekly, where Creative Conflict Solutions have a regular advice column.
Find out more in general about Creative Conflict Solutions at their website http://CreativeConflictSolutions.com
I also have an interview that I did with Phyllis and Melanie that I will be posting here shortly as a podcast.