Most mediators are taught how to reframe. Fewer are taught how to explain reframing, and even fewer are encouraged to be transparent about why they do it. Reframing is often described to students as “restating something more neutrally”, “removing toxicity”, or “putting it in a way the other party can hear”. That description is not […]
Reframing in Mediation: What We Are Really Doing, and Why We Name It Read More »
A colleague recently asked me whether I was familiar with any research on the risks associated with mediating with a heavily pregnant woman. The woman in question was in conflict with her ex-partner, the father of her unborn child, and my colleague wanted to know whether there were particular considerations they should be thinking about.
Should Pregnant Women Be Excluded from Mediation? Questions We Need to Ask Read More »
In my work on neurodiversity and conflict, there are some interesting intersections that come up frequently. There’s one phenomenon I want to make sure you understand, because it comes up constantly in conflict situations. It’s called rejection sensitivity, or sometimes rejection sensitive dysphoria. We all feel rejection Let’s start with what’s universal. We all have
Rejection Sensitivity and Conflict Read More »
By Sarah Blake and Samantha Hardy Why the world needs mediation, but clients aren’t buying in We know the world needs mediation. The research is overwhelming: Dr Emily Skinner’s work, among others, shows that conflict is everywhere, in workplaces, communities, families, and politics. The cost to organisations and individuals is massive. And yet, despite this
Mediation Doesn’t Have a Marketing Problem, It Has a Clarity Problem Read More »
When we walk into a workshop or classroom, one of the first things we notice is how varied people are. Tall and short, loud and quiet, confident and hesitant. But sometimes it helps to step back from those obvious differences and look at something we rarely think about: eye colour. It’s a simple feature, but
Seeing Difference: Eye Colour as a Lens on Neurodiversity Read More »
Von Dr Samantha Hardy and Dr Judith Rafferty Hinweis: Dieser Beitrag wurde von Judith Herrmann-Rafferty aus dem englischen Original übersetzt und leicht angepasst, damit er speziell auf HR und Führungskräfte zugeschnitten ist. Den ursprünglichen Artikel in englischer Sprache, der den Blick stärker auf die Arbeit von Mediator*innen richtet, gibt es hier. Entschuldigungen können enorm kraftvoll sein.
By Dr Samantha Hardy and Dr Judith Rafferty Apologies can be transformative. A brief “I’m sorry” has the potential to mend trust, restore dignity, and signal a willingness to move forward. Yet in practice, many mediators have sat through sessions where one party waits, sometimes desperately, for an apology that never arrives. The other party’s
When Apologies Don’t Come: Understanding and Managing Refusal to Apologise in Mediation Read More »
The Conflict Management Academy has been running “The Mediator’s Dilemma Series” events this year, in which mediators explore a challenging hypothetical and discuss how they would deal with the dilemmas at various stages of the process. These events have been well attended and the discussions enlightening (and sometimes heated!) but what struck me after having
Navigating the Grey Zones: A Practical Guide to Ethical Decision-Making for Mediators Read More »
Insights from a Classroom Conversation on Defining Mediation A definition can be a doorway or a dead end. When we ask students training to become mediators to choose the definition of mediation they most align with, we’re not just testing their understanding of theory. We’re inviting them to reflect on the values, roles, and responsibilities
What Do Students Think Mediation Is? Read More »
“One obvious sign you’re living in a gossip trap is when the primary mode of dispute resolution becomes social pressure.” —Erik Hoel, The Gossip Trap I came across this quote after the first session of our Workplace Conflict Practice Group, where we explored the dynamics of workplace conflict—what fuels it, what silences it, and why