Facilitation • Mediation • Training • Coaching

MEDIATION and CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Are you involved in a conflict, or a hard-to-resolve difference of opinion? Do you have friends or colleagues in this situation?

My approach is to facilitate a conversation that allows those in conflict to reach a greater understanding of each others' experience and perspectives. Once a renewed connection and desire to reach a mutually satisfying outcome is established, the participants use their expertise to find their own solutions. At this point I offer my experience to help them in crafting agreements that are likely to last.

This "transformative" mediation model works best when the parties are expecting to be in an ongoing working relationship.

Pre-mediation

My preference is to talk with each person separately prior to mediation. This pre-mediation session can take 30 minutes to an hour per session, and usually happens on the phone. This session gives each party an opportunity to adjust to the speed and style of a mediated conversation, as well as an opportunity to get clearer about their desired outcome, and even to start formulating requests of the other person that might achieve this outcome. Sometimes pre-mediation takes away the need for mediation completely, since it gives an opportunity for those involved to uncover new perspectives and strategies for resolving the conflict.