ETHZ FIVE-STEP MODEL FOR MEDIATION

Previously I referred to the role and importance in conflict resolution and mediation of personal narratives, of stories. Even though at least listening to each other’s perspective is crucial for effective mediation, this use of stories is not the only important element of mediation. Another crucial element of a successful mediation process is structure.

The ETH Zurich, where I received my training as a mediator, offers a practical five-step scenario, which, in my experience, results in de-escalation at least, and often in resolution of the conflict.

The scenario is very simple, and offers easy-to-follow steps along which the talks with the parties can be conducted.

First step: Introduction, goal setting and ground rules. The mediator introduces him- or herself, the parties introduce themselves, and the mediator introduces the backgrounds of the meeting. Ground rules are brought up and agreed upon.

Second step: the parties share their stories and perspectives. The role of mediator is to clarify the situation as told, ask questions, and rephrase where required, carefully managing emotions.

Third step: can be quite emotional and challenging: find out the deeper interests hidden under the positions and perspectives. Here it is important that the parties adhere to the ground rules they agreed on, for instance in having the patience to listen without interrupting each other. The responsibility of the mediator to keep to the structure here is very important.

Fourth step: Brainstorm on possible ways out and solutions. No objections or responses to each other’s input! The mediator collects and writes down all options, without giving any judgements or other comments, and reminds if required, the parties to keep to the process.

Fifth step: selection of feasible and / or acceptable options, and agreement on an action plan: which option do all agree on? And how do we get to those results?

Practical implementation and execution: Who will do what, when and agree on what-ifs – like what will be the consequences if the agreement will be not kept to? Will there be a controlling entity, and who will take care of that role?

Everybody who wants to understand more about this model: take a deep dive in the matter yourself!

You can find all information I wrote about above (and more!) at the ETH website at https://mas-mediation.ethz.ch/tools/the-five-phase-model-of-mediation.html or you can access the visualization of the five steps’ model directly on Youtube at https://youtu.be/sLauHaf3SUE

Last but not least: it is always the decision of the mediator whether or not to apply this structure in a specific conflict, or start the process with another approach. There are situations for instance, when the mediator might decide to initiate separate conversations with the parties, in order to understand more about the situation before the joint discussion. The five steps can be applied then afterwards.

“So you’re a mediator? Working with Ukrainian refugees? And what is it that you do?”

“So you’re a mediator? Working with Ukrainian refugees? And what is it that you do?”

Let me explain. According to Christopher Moore, one of the “giants” in the world of mediation, a mediator “intervenes in a conflict or dispute to assist involved parties to improve their relationships, enhance communications, and use effective problem-solving and negotiation procedures to reach voluntary and mutually acceptable understandings or agreements on contested issues.” (Moore 2014). Of course, apart from the “general mediation techniques”, all mediators bring their own approaches, backgrounds and preferences, and so do I.

One of my preferences is connected to my original education as a literary scientist, which I took before my mediation studies: I continue to be fond of stories, of personal narratives. Mediation is all about stories, the first thing a mediator will do is listen to the different perspectives of the parties, how they look at the issue. Yet, there is more than the direct personal perspectives – a mediator also needs to be able to shift between the “concrete”, day-to-day level, and the meta-level, which is for instance addressed in “narrative mediation”. In their 2012 book “When Stories Clash” Monk & Winslade describe some cases where the mediator supports the parties involved to explore their “stories”, and to try and look forward to develop a joint future story to which all parties will be able and willing to contribute. It helps if the parties are able to listen to each other’s stories, and come to understand each other’s perspective. This is one of my goals during the mediation process. For this the parties of course need to feel safe enough to meet for a joint conversation.

Having some general understanding of the context of the parties contributes to positive outcomes of mediation, and this is why I have decided to offer my mediation and de-escalation services to municipalities accommodating Ukrainian refugees. Not only do I come with knowledge of their country of origin, I am also able to conduct the mediation process in a familiar language.

Labrys Leadership: It’s a System’s World!

It started with a tiny, almost neglectable pain in the throat the evening before.
The next morning, a Sunday, I felt I should better cancel my dinner with friends. I was due to meet with an important potential customer on Monday, and I did not want to run the risk of falling seriously ill.
Monday morning I woke up and found that my voice had basically gone. For the first time in years a virus had been able to break through my health defence of several 6kms runs every week.

The customer meeting was scheduled at 2, so I decided I had the time for a quick fix. The entire morning when I prepared for the meeting, I drank hot tea with honey to soothe the pain, and, in order to regain my voice, I sucked on a whole lot of black, Swedish licorice pastilles. And definitely, on my way to the meeting I was able to produce some sound.

The meeting was fine, it is never really bad if you are not the one talking most. Having returned home that evening though I found that not only my throat was hurting even more than before, now my stomach was experiencing the consequences of all the licorice I had processed. For several days it remained painfully swollen. The only thing left to digest now was my defeat: I went to bed and stayed there for the next days, without the possibility to support my healing with proper food.

Similar stories can be told about quick fixes in organisations, causing situations which can not be cured in a couple of days.
The trouble with quick fixes is that they almost never only influence the small problem you want to solve. Like the body, an organisation is a whole of interconnected elements, closely interacting with and influencing each other. If you influence one of its parts, unwillingly and unawarely you might cause a chain reaction in another part of the organisation you did not even think of.

Let’s look at a hypothetical cost cutting scenario of sending away one of your organisation’s warehouse guys. The margins have been low and very often you see the team just hanging around without a task to fulfil. The next time though business will go up and you will have a need for high volume fast delivery, warehouse staff will need to run and work too long hours, causing higher cost in overtime and running the risk of serious accidents. In case of late deliveries, customers will start to complain and cause more workload at the customer service desk, which was already overloaded. They might even walk out of you, bringing the revenue and margin down even further.

If you look at not only the problem itself but also at the bigger picture the problem is part of, you might discover other means of optimisation. In the above scenario, you could for instance decide to suggest the most motivated warehouse employee to support the customer service desk when his workload is low.

Many books and articles have been written about System’s Thinking. Work with Labrys! If you want to read more and have a good introduction, I highly recommend Peter Senge’s “Fifth Discipline”.
I wish you lots of fun reading, and many good System’s practices in your organisation!

Labrys Leadership: Celebrate!

Dear friend and former colleague Kees last week sent me this picture. Immediately my thoughts returned to one of the most impressive projects I have been part of: the transition of more than a thousand bank employees to the technology organisation we were working at.

Being part of the HR Transition Team we worked really hard back then, often literally day and night. On the eve of the official transfer date we had managed to complete the main challenges, and the atmosphere in the teams was better than we could have hoped for at the beginning of the project.
So we decided to celebrate!
Dressed up in our party clothes we spent the evening at the office, formally handing over badges and documentation to all our new colleagues. At midnight bottles of champagne were opened and we toasted with our newly joined teams.

This of course was a great happening and definitely a reason to celebrate. Yet, do we always have to wait for such occasion? What about the smaller events, how do we celebrate them if they go well? Do we celebrate?

Celebrations can be held and felt in individuals as well. Let me ask you: what was the last time somebody gave you a compliment? Think back to that occasion and remember the emotion it gave you. How did the world look and feel the rest of the day?
Actually when someone gives me a compliment for a job I worked hard for, I feel on-top-of-the-world. And the funny thing is, I start to look for ways to do my job even better!

So if you are a manager, Work with Labrys! you have the power to initiate this in your team, in your colleagues. If you are able to distinguish and mark the moments people really do a good job, you can make them work even better and have them celebrate their day!

Best wishes for now and enjoy your celebrations!

Labrys Leadership: Leadership Development

It is often stated that our world is in need of better leadership.
Yet, what do we talk about when we talk about leadership?
What is leadership in your organisation about?
 
Are we looking for leaders who are able to change the course of the world? Visionaries, strategists?
Sometimes we do.
And sometimes, we want leader-managers who understand reality.
Managers who are capable to set goals and support their teams in delivering these goals.
 
Labrys Training supports both.
Development of individual leadership and development of management.
Besides, Labrys Training facilitates team building and international collaboration.
Based upon solid experience and development models, integrating theory and practice.
Tailored to your specific situation.Work with Labrys!
 
Contact Jacqueline Mulders at +31 (0)20 699 7418 or +31 (0)6 123 78 311 and find your way to effective training in English, Dutch or Russian.