Conflict Management
"The origin of all conflicts between me and my fellow human being is that I do not say what I mean and do not do what I say."
Mediation (literally: procuration) is a procedure to solve conflicts that has its roots in the U.S.A.. This refers to the intervention in clashes by impartial external mediators who is accepted by all involved parties. Goal of the mediation is an amicable, conjointly worked out solution in which the disputing parties succeed without anyone being conquered.
Thus no verdict or judgement is made by the mediator. He is neither judge nor "blame finder", but supports and accompanies the work to a stable shared solution. This constructive conflict solving can even have a chance when the arguing parties find themselves in a dead end and feel that to proceed or even share thoughts is not possible. That is why "Mediation" as a result of similar approaches can be considered the "kings discipline of coaching" as two persons or parties find a solution through their own responsibility with the support of a mediator.
Features of the process are:
- all conflicting parties are involved equally
- all parties agree on the mediation process
- personal interests of the mediator in the result are out of the question
- the result is characterised by the fact that all agree
Process:
The professional mediator accepts all opinions, interests and feelings seriously and does not judge. The mediator is purely there to manage and channel the discussion, the adversaries for the subjects. They accept responsibility for the result. Thus one come to a stable solution worked through with all parties. The manager handles the subjects confidentially and does not function as judge or lawyer in the conflict. He watches unbiased to avoid unrealistic and unnecessary agreements and can abort the process when sense and ethics are in danger of being insulted.
Application:
Mediation can be used to settle personal differences as well as conflicts between groups. The areas in which it can be used range from Politics to Economics and into the legal world-from larger social conflicts to neighbourhood disagreements and conflicts in citizens council and communes to misunderstandings between two people- either personal or career based. Coaching processes have been aided by Mediation with growing frequency to successfully accompany and settle a case.