Who hasn’t had a difficult conversation at some point in their career? Undoubtedly, you remember your first — you survived it after all. Articles often espouse the benefits of difficult conversations — that they help to foster relationships and resolve conflict, for instance. To be candid, however, difficult conversations are tricky. They often present a more uncertain outcome than one would like to admit because tension is heightened when emotion is involved. But if other remedies, such as open dialogue, have failed with your employees, the next step to consider adding to your toolkit may be mediation techniques.
Mediation can be a powerful tool for managers to resolve workplace disputes. While as a practice mediation offers solutions to feuding colleagues, for leaders this tool is essential because it helps you to uncover real issues in the workplace. As parties share information, mediation can help managers pinpoint in real time what led to the conflict and allows all parties to come together to navigate solutions.
Perhaps more importantly, mediation is a tool for managers to add to their toolbox because it’s a crucial mechanism for self-assessment. Ask yourself: What is my conflict management style? Is it accommodating or does it look to collaboration to resolve staff issues? The answers might surprise you.
More than practicing a non-judgmental approach or exercising appropriate communication, a manager’s attitude — or lack thereof — directly affects the workplace environment. The way a manager deals with conflict at work can affect team morale, how smoothly things run, and from a broader perspective the overall health of the organization.
Judy Ringer in the “The Manager as Mediator: First Manage You” argues persuasively that the mediation process begins with self-reflection — that your best chance to successfully engage with your staff is to answer guided questions that promote self-awareness. Ringer suggests asking yourself the following questions: “What is the purpose of the intervention?” … and, more importantly, “What do I really want — for each individual, for the relationship, or for the organization?”
It is a shift in mindset that focuses on internal introspection rather than the external factors of the conflict itself. What is interesting about Ringer’s argument is that she says the resolution work is secondary to introspection. That, in fact, mediation is easier to approach because the hard work has been done — which is to identify the outcome that you as manager are seeking.
Mediation works best when a manager gets why it matters and supports a positive, supportive space where conflict resolution is an integral part of the environment. Arguably, an outcome between differing parties is not guaranteed. But aside from the individual benefit of increasing your aptitude for emotional intelligence, mediation also promotes a workplace where the focus is working together to move forward, not determining who was right or wrong. As libraries transform to meet the needs of their communities and their patrons, mediation will continue to be an essential tool in all aspects of service.
Erin Farquhar is a Branch Manager for DC Public Libraries in Washington, D.C. Erin holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in English Literature and Folklore, as well as a MLIS. She has worked in quite a few of DC’s wards, and enjoys working with the varied communities and rich cultural heritage she serves.
Erin has stated, “Now, as a manager within this infrastructure I look to further develop the practices of strategic thinking and plan implementation. As libraries continue to develop their social role in order to build strong vibrant communities, I would like to mirror this direction in order to help shape the ideas and perspectives that are central to an innovative society. Any metamorphosis can be a slow process, but a caring workforce reflects the commitment of all its employees.
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