People often ask me, “What do acting & conflict resolution have in common?”

Well most important of all is listening.  There are a number of areas for cross over, but listening is crucial.  Both mediators and actors cite the ability to listen as the most important thing one has to do in their profession.

Below are Ed Harris’s thoughts on the subject:

Both mediation and acting require the ability to get beyond ones own perspective and step into the unknown world of the other. And that’s just not as “a character,” but the act of truly listening requires the ability to be affected by what is happening outside you. This is necessary for both actors and mediators.