Mediation – transforming workplaces - Are you resolution ready?

As we’re about to launch our ABC guide to Workplace Conflict Resolution I wanted to expand the conventionally narrow definition of mediation as a ‘dispute resolution process facilitated by an impartial third party who assist the parties to resolve disputes in a safe, confidential, constructive setting.’

I see mediation as a life / work role that people need to step into when circumstances suggest it might be appropriate and when it is potentially useful to others. Like other life roles – manager, carer, parent, friend or partner – the mediation role involves the deployment of a group of identifiable behaviours such as impartiality, active listening, conflict facilitation and resolution techniques. These skills are hugely beneficial in the workplace for leaders and managers.

Mediation also involves using language in a neutral, non-judgemental way – for example saying to people what you need from them rather than what you think of them.

Resolving to get the best out of people

The mediation approach to conflict resolution is driven by a set of optimistic values[1]:

•       Conflict is OK and can lead to positive growth and change

•       Most people do not choose to be difficult or negative with others , but become so when their needs are not being met, or when their own needs clash with others

•       Win/win solutions are more satisfactory than win/lose

•       People at work have common interests but often fail to recognise them when in a conflict

•       People can balance their own needs with others and find mutually acceptable resolutions

•       People often do not think straight when they are in a stressful situation but are able to come up with workable solutions if their stress is reduced

•       Conflict resolution enables diverse communities to understand and work with one another to achieve their full potential

•       Once people who have different views and values start communicating constructively about their differences they will be more able to work together and trust one another.

Mediation turns an argument into a win/win discussion and agreement. Workplaces will benefit tremendously if mediation values, thinking and behaviour is put at the centre of people management strategies. See how you can do this in the soon to be published ABC Guide to Workplace Conflict resolution. Sign up to receive your copy here. 

John Crawley

[1] Argument to Agreement – Resolving Disputes through Mediation, Crawley J, published by JCMediation June 2012

People Resolutions announce 'Conflict is normal – are you resolution ready?' whitepaper

People Resolutions are excited to announce our a new series of practical, positive white papers from John Crawley, the UK’s most prolific author and thought leader on workplace conflict resolution and mediation. These will build into the ABC Guide to Workplace Conflict Resolution aimed at helping people at work:

• Change the way they think about conflict resolution
• Change behaviour from conflict reactive to conflict proactive
• Learn how to use Resolution Architecture™ to design a resolution-ready workplace
• Create Resolution Building Blocks ™ to reduce the cost of conflict
• Build a Conflict Resolution Climate ™ to enhance engagement, resilience and performance and move away from a conflict reactive environment which stops you working.

A series of articles will be published monthly from July 2013 containing strategic and practical advice based on 25 years of workplace resolution expertise. In those white papers John has also created 3 brand new reflective metaphors - ‘Resolution Architecture’, ‘Resolution Building Blocks’ and ‘Resolution Climate’ designed to bring insight into and change thinking around the challenges of workplace conflict.

The ABC Guide to Workplace Conflict Resolution will assist a wide range of organisations to:

·         Work through conflicts constructively to rebuild communication, restore trust and revive performance
·         Manage their conflict risk effectively 

·     Send a strong message to everyone in the workplace that there is a commitment to resolution and working together when things get tough
·         Aim for conflict resolution excellence
·         Address conflict early and avoid costly escalation
·         Take a fair, appropriately challenging approach when resolution is not possible or appropriate
·         Reduce resolution costs and introduce resolution improvement measures
·         Significantly reduce the cost of conflict at work
·         Resolve disputes within the workplace and get people back to work.
·         Make the most of resources that you invest in conflict resolution and get a good return on investment
·         Get on with one another and your work.

The white papers will be supported by regular videos, blogs, articles and webinars. 

Sign-up now here to be the first to be updated. 

Next week, our blog will be a preview before the July launch and publication.

Reducing Email stress at work through 'E-tiquette'

According to an up and coming study from Loughborough University reading and sending emails prompts tell-tale signs of stress including elevated blood pressure, heart rate and levels of the hormone cortisol.

The conflict risks of E-communication is one of the areas covered in our new White Paper coming up in July.

Prof Tom Jackson of Loughborough University, who led the study which has not yet been published, said: "The brain can only deal with eight to 12 tasks at any one time and if you can't shut those tasks down you start to become overloaded and fatigued.

"Multifunctional devices like Blackberrys and iPhones allow workers to be accessible 24-hours a day unlike ever before [but] because of this it is likely that there will be an increase in stress levels."

Researchers who followed a group of 30 government employees found that 83 per cent became more stressed while using email, rising to 92 per cent when speaking on the phone and using email at the same time.

Although receiving a single message was no more stressful than answering one phone call or talking to someone face-to-face, emails had a stronger effect overall because people received so many each day.

Emails which were irrelevant, which interrupted work or demanded an immediate response were particularly taxing, while those which arrived in response to completed work had a calming effect.

The study also found that people were unable to identify accurately when their body was showing signs of stress and often were unaware of their state, he added This would indicate that employees might find it difficult to self-regulate their use of communication media to ensure they do not become overwhelmed by stress."

Do you have any examples of e-mail stress and conflict?

We will be launching a useful whitepaper highlighting the issues of conflict- including Etiquette 

How chance remarks can be very dangerous – responsible resolution tips

Lord Feldman, the conservative party chairman has been quizzed recently over allegations that one of David Cameron’s inner circle described party members as ‘mad-swivel eyed loons’ (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-lord-feldman-to-face-questions-about-allegations-he-described-grassroots-activists-as-swiveleyed-loons-8622933.html )

Youth Crime Commissioner, Paris Brown, found her online social media comments caught up with her in the workplace (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/apr/09/paris-brown-stands-down-twitter) 

These ill-considered derogatory remarks are all part of our attempt to establish a Social Identity[1] by identifying with a group. This gives people an important source of pride and self-esteem, a sense of belonging to the social world.

If we kept these opinions to ourselves they would not be so risky, but humans are by nature ‘leaky’ – texting, tweeting and talking with friends and colleagues in an emotionally charged, ill-considered way.

We have come across these situations time and time again when People Resolutions mediators are called in to restore working relationships, or investigators assigned to determine what happened and whether it is a disciplinary matter or not.  

Here are some tips to manage chance remarks at the workplace at source:

1) Encourage people to think before they speak, tweet, text of email.

2) Demonstrate respect at senior level – it’s easy to trash or ridicule someone, much harder to give colleagues that you disagree with constructive, non-blaming feedback.

3) Utilise mediation if all parties are willing as it can quickly create conversation about communication styles, stop the behavior and restore rapport.

4) Use ‘virtual mentors’ – a prison I worked in stemmed derogatory banter by inviting officers to create a virtual mentor panel of people who would cause them to check their language if they were in the room e.g. younger sister, grandfather, imam, priest, sport coach. They were encouraged to visualize their virtual mentor if in an emotive conversation.

5) Remind people that their remarks / tweets / texts and emails are traceable and subject to the codes of conduct of the workplace, not just their own personal moral code.

See also http://www.peopleresolutions.com/bullying-a-harassment-training 

John Crawley

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[1] http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html