Publications - Index
Mediation
Mediation is a process that encourages you and the other party to discuss the issues that you believe are preventing you from successfully working within the same workplace. Mediation allows you to communicate your feelings and ideas to each other. It allows you to negotiate a solution to the problems between you and the other party.
What role do the Mediators play?
The Mediators are impartial. They do not take sides and they do not offer legal or other advice. The Mediators are there to provide mechanisms that let you talk to each other in a constructive and non-threatening way.
How will the mediation be conducted?
It will be:
Voluntary - you will be allowed to leave at any time if you believe that the mediation is not achieving what you hoped or if you feel distressed.
Informal - there is no right or wrong way to participate in a mediation.
Confidential - all parties sign a confidentiality agreement form to ensure that matters discussed during the mediation will not be repeated outside the room by the Mediator or the parties.
Guided by both your needs and those of the other party - Mediators can accommodate most requests by parties, for example, we can have breaks, have separate meetings with each party or you can bring a support person.
Professional - all Mediators are trained by accredited organisations, qualified and registered under state or Commonwealth legislation, or by Defence
Why is mediation worthwhile?
It is future-oriented. It allows participants to focus on how they can improve their relationships and feel better about themselves and their workplace environment.
It does not focus on blame. It is not concerned with who is right and who is wrong. It focuses on the interests and needs of the parties to enable them to solve problems so that they do not occur again.
It helps reduce stress on all parties by allowing them to understand why the problems have occurred and how they can help to resolve it.
It allows both sides to tell their truth about the situation.
It allows all parties to listen to the other side and to be heard by the other side.
It is not a process where people judge, rather it is where people can be constructive and come up with suggestions on how to improve things.
It acknowledges feelings.
It has a high success rate.
What is a Group Facilitation?
A group facilitation is a formal meeting of colleagues affected by conflict in the workplace. The conflict may be:
- a direct result of an act that is undisputedly harmful,
- associated with previous disputes that have been inadequately resolved, or
- a workplace cultural issue.
What happens in a Group Facilitation?
The group facilitation enables everyone affected by the dispute to consider what happened, the effects on people and the best way forward to resolve the issue.
How is a Group Facilitation conducted?
A group facilitation is conducted by a trained and qualified facilitator. Everyone affected by the dispute is permitted to attend, and everyone is given the opportunity to participate in the discussions.
What is Conflict Coaching?
Conflict Coaching is a voluntary, confidential, forward-focused process in which a trained conflict coach supports and assists the client to understand and improve the way they manage conflict or disputes. The process is essentially a future-oriented conversation. The coach helps the client to identify their goals, explore different ways for reaching their goals, and develop practical methods for preventing unnecessary conflict, resolving disputes and generally enhancing their conflict management skills. Conflict Coaching is not counselling or therapy. Conflict Coaching is one-on-one and completely confidential. It may be done face to face or over the telephone.
Are you facing a conflict in your workplace or managing staff in conflict?
A conflict coach can help you make sense of what is going on, and assist you in expanding the options available to you. Information shared with your conflict coach is confidential; exceptions and limitations are discussed and agreed upon as part of the conflict coaching process. The conflict coach does not provide counselling, professional opinions or advice, and does not replace legal or medical services.
When should you seek conflict coaching?
. To prepare for a difficult conversation or mediation;
. To resolve a specific conflict;
. To improve your skills in conflict resolution.
How does it work?
The conflict coach works with you to:
. clarify the goals you want to achieve over a series of three or four one-hour sessions;
. assist you in developing the best strategy to achieve your goals;
. build on your experience so you can deal with conflict more effectively in the future;
. help you discover and understand the underlying factors that are contributing to the dispute;
. help you move through any rough spots you may experience when dealing with conflict;
. explore with you what "sets you off" through focused questions and observations;
. examine your assumptions about the conflict and help you to have a better understanding of how you deal with conflict;
. help you to explore all options that can help you deal with conflict and to see another point of view.
Where can I get more information?
Directorate of Alternative Resolutions and Equity
BP35-1-061, Brindabella Business Park
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Telephone: 02 6127 2988
Facsimile: 02 6127 3013
http://intranet.defence.gov.au/fr/