Conflict Mediation: Inspiring Positive Outcomes

Course objectives

• Recognise the common sources of workplace conflict and the point at which informal resolution is still possible
• Run a structured mediation from opening statement through to a written agreement
• Separate stated positions from underlying interests and surface what each party actually needs
• Use questioning, reframing and summarising to move a stuck conversation forward
• Manage strong emotion, walkouts and power imbalance without losing control of the process
• Identify the cases that must be escalated to a formal grievance or disciplinary process
• Record an outcome in terms both parties can be held to

Who should attend

• Human resources business partners and employee relations specialists
• Line managers and supervisors handling disputes in their teams
• Union representatives and workplace forum members
• Internal mediators and grievance chairs
• Anyone expected to resolve interpersonal conflict at work

Course outline

1. 01Why workplace conflict escalates and where informal resolution still works
2. 02The mediator's role: impartiality, confidentiality and the limits of the mandate
3. 03The structure of a mediation, from opening statements to joint problem solving
4. 04Positions, interests and needs: getting past what each party says they want
5. 05Core skills: active listening, reframing, summarising and testing reality
6. 06Managing anger, tears, silence and the party who threatens to leave
7. 07Power imbalance, and when mediation is the wrong instrument
8. 08Drafting an agreement that holds, and following it up
9. 09Knowing when to stop and refer to a formal process

Scheduled sessions