We All Need to Be Conflict Mediators

Role of the Catalyst There is such a thing as a catalytic personality. Such people contribute to projects by helping teams to form and gel and to remain healthy and productive. Even if our catalysts did nothing else (the usually do a lot else) their catalytic role is important and valuable. Mediation is a special case of the catalytic role. Mediati

Though we may have our own wishes for how the conflict is resolved—especially if the conflict is between family, friends, or co-workers—we need to remember that we are not here to accomplish our own goals. The mediator’s role is to create an environment in which the parties can connect, express their needs, understand each other’s needs, and arrive

The mediator’s role is to create an environment in which the parties can connect, express their needs, understand each other’s needs, and arrive at strategies to meet those needs.

This process is so fundamental to collaboration without hierarchy that many self-managing organizations train every new recruit in conflict resolution.

Everyone has a particular capacity for tolerating conflict. Some people are comfortable working through conflict, while most avoid it entirely or try to get through it as quickly as possible. But surfacing the relevant conflicts is essential when an organization is falling short of its aspirations.