Mediation is a valuable skill for managers who need to resolve conflicts and improve communication among their staff. However, mediation can also be challenging, especially when the issues are complex, emotional, or unclear. How can you clarify issues during mediation and help the parties reach a mutual understanding? Here are some tips to guide you.
Before you start the mediation, you need to gather some information about the situation, the parties involved, and their expectations. You can do this by conducting interviews, reviewing documents, or observing the work environment. This will help you identify the main issues, the interests and needs of each party, and the potential solutions. You should also prepare yourself by setting clear goals, establishing ground rules, and choosing a neutral location for the session.
In my experience you need to understand the below the line issues. Allowing the parties to address these issues and place them on the table encourages reconciliation
During the mediation, you need to listen to both parties with attention and empathy. This means that you should not interrupt, judge, or take sides, but rather reflect, paraphrase, and summarize what they say. You should also use open-ended questions, such as "How do you feel about that?" or "What do you think would help in this situation?" to encourage them to express their thoughts and feelings. Listening actively and empathetically will help you build rapport, trust, and respect with the parties, and show them that you care about their perspectives.
One of the main tasks of the mediator is to clarify the issues and interests of the parties. Issues are the specific problems or disputes that need to be resolved, while interests are the underlying reasons, motivations, or values that drive the parties' actions or positions. To clarify the issues and interests, you can use techniques such as reframing, brainstorming, or mapping. Reframing is when you restate the issues in a more positive, constructive, or neutral way, such as "You both want to improve the quality of your work" instead of "You are always arguing about the deadlines". Brainstorming is when you generate as many ideas as possible to address the issues, without evaluating or criticizing them. Mapping is when you draw a visual representation of the issues and interests, such as a chart, a diagram, or a list, to help the parties see the connections and differences between them.
I agree that clarity leads to resolution. Arriving at mutually acceptable definitions helps move the parties past barriers. It also facilitates the process
After you have clarified the issues and interests, you need to check for understanding and agreement among the parties. This means that you should ask them to confirm or correct your understanding of their positions, needs, and concerns, and to acknowledge or appreciate the other party's point of view. You should also ask them to agree on the main issues that need to be resolved, and on the criteria or standards that will be used to evaluate the possible solutions. Checking for understanding and agreement will help you ensure that the parties are on the same page, and that they are ready to move to the next stage of the mediation.
The final step of the mediation is to facilitate the negotiation between the parties. This means that you should help them explore and evaluate the options that were generated during the brainstorming, and guide them to reach a mutually acceptable and beneficial solution. You can do this by using techniques such as narrowing, expanding, or trading. Narrowing is when you eliminate the options that are not feasible, realistic, or consistent with the criteria or standards. Expanding is when you create more options by combining, modifying, or adding elements to the existing ones. Trading is when you help the parties exchange or compromise on some aspects of the solution, in order to satisfy their most important interests. Facilitating the negotiation will help you achieve a win-win outcome for the parties, and improve their relationship and cooperation.