Diane Levin recently offered a list of
essential resources for aspiring mediators. Many of these are good resources for aspiring Ombuds and her blog,
Mediation Channel, should be regular reading for anyone looking at a career in dispute resolution. Here are some other suggestions for people looking to become Organizational Ombuds.
Current Best Practices
Blogs and Other Websites
A few Organizational Ombuds write blogs. These do not offer any details about specific cases, but do give some insights on current issues from an Ombuds' perspective. The notable blogs include:
Conflict Benefit Blog by John Zinsser (consultant/owner of Pacifica Human Communications),
ICANN Ombudsman Blog by Frank Fowlie (Ombuds for the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers),
Untangled Resolutions by Bathabile Mthombeni (Ombuds at Columbia University), and
Friede Blog by Wende Friede (former Corporate Ombudsperson for American Express).
Books
There is really only one authoritative text about the field, Chuck Howard's
The Organizational Ombudsman: Origins, Roles and Operations - A Legal Guide. The primary purpose of the book is to demonstrate why a properly constituted Organizational Ombuds program should be entitled to a confidentiality recognized in American law. Although this is comprehensive legal reference work, there no book about the day-to-day work of an Organizational Ombuds.
IOA publishes a few books about specific issues ("Reprisal, Retaliation and Redress," "Dealing with the Fear of Violence, "Options, Functions and Skills," etc.), but these are merely short brochures that need updating.
Making Connections With Working Ombuds
Aspiring Ombuds will find that current practitioners are generally willing to share insights and information about the field. Although most Organizational Ombuds will respond to "cold calls," it is often easier when there is a connection. For this reason, many will contact the Ombuds at their
alma mater. It is also easy to make connections at an IOA
training or
annual conference. Although these are expensive, these are an excellent introduction to the field. Aspiring Ombuds can also make virtually connections through groups at
LinkedIn and
Facebook.
The Spectrum of Ombuds
Organizational Ombuds are a recent development in the Ombuds field and aspiring Ombuds should know the differences and similarities between the various models of practice. One place to start would be the 2004 American Bar Association white paper, "
Standards for the Establishment and Operation of Ombuds Offices," that outlined the differences between Legislative, Executive and Organizational Ombuds models. More information about Legislative and Executive Ombuds (often lumped together as "Classical" Ombuds) can be found at the the
International Ombudsman Institute.
