Considerations to Solve Your Problems
Conflicts exists in changeable proportions and types beginning with individual to individual, to organization, to nations etc. I have overseen family conflicts and employee arguements enough times to warrant me sharing my experiences and considerations with you.
Considerations:
1. Mediation will certainly cost you, count the cost – There is undeniably an investment you put into the mediation process that you will need to know of in advance. Your own capital will be spent in the process. Your time and space will be occupied by the need to bring the matters to a mutual agreement. Mediation takes time and patience – Some disputes can take years to resolve.
2. Emotional resistance and mental stability are central – Are you able to mediate without prejudice towards one side where you contain emotional attachment? A mediator must be impartial meaning that there is no taking sides and looking at both sides objectively.
3. Mediator needs capacity and experience to supervise the issue – Have you resolved conflict before? Of what nature? You can easily make things worse when you then have to abort the process because you now realize it’s beyond your realm. Once you decide to take it on, see it to the end. Use your own experiences from the past and how others have finished it before to make your contribution efficient.
4. Gather all the necessary facts – Before you can mediate usefully, gather all the details and figures. Carefully listen to both sides of the story and then bring the stories into one place so that you verify the authenticity of the allegations and counter allegations. With no enough information, your considered opinion will be tarnished. Your contribution will be of no value to the matter at hand.
5. Confidentiality is vital – A lot happens when there is conflict. Both sides refuse to take blame for the slander. They both feel justified in their smear campaigns. As you mediate there is information that is intended to be kept secret and not revealed. If two employees are fighting, you cannot make this a reason for the next company meeting. Keep conflict resolution information away from your daily activities.
