Becoming a Mediator
Becoming a Mediator
BY CMP RESOLUTIONS
CMP Resolutions explains why mediation training sometimes surprises the participants. They may be skilled in problem solving and leadership but being a mediator sometimes requires unlearning certain behaviours. For example: “Most of us, either by character or training, are goal and solution focussed. In mediation however being overly focussed on the goal can be counter-productive.”
It is common for delegates attending our 6 day ILM endorsed Professional Workplace Mediator training, to arrive thinking it is going to be easier to learn to mediate than it turns out to be. Participants often bring many people management skills and lots of experience to the course-leadership, managerial, problem solving, coaching- and so don’t expect mediation to be such a stretch. However, some things that mediators do are the exact opposite of what people are used to doing in their day jobs. Providing solutions is a classic example- something that good mediators don’t do but which is a normal part of many jobs. So to develop as a mediator the habits of a life time need to change and that isn’t always easy!
Most of us, either by character or training, are goal and solution focussed. In mediation however being overly focussed on the goal can be counter- productive. With time mediators learn to replace goal focus with responsiveness – responding in the moment to what is happening in the room.
