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Among the key challenges facing those in positions of leadership is the
responsibility to facilitate the resolution of conflicts that arise within
our work units. This challenge is not taken lightly, as it stresses some
of the most important working relationships that exist on campus: faculty
with staff who manage and support their teaching and research; staff members
who must navigate the bureaucracy of roles and responsibilities that often
overlap; faculty members with one another in competition for scarce resources
to support their work; etc… It is to those who oversee such relationships
that the task of conflict management frequently falls.
Operating as a mediator requires
one to be objective, impartial, and sufficiently removed from the issues
of the dispute to facilitate empowered discussion among those involved.
This is especially challenging for campus leaders, because they frequently
are stakeholders in the issues
and have extensive personal relationships with the parties. While it may
be appropriate in some circumstances to utilize external resources
for mediating disputes, our intention in this section is to identify ways
Chairs, Supervisors and Managers can play such a role.
This discussion builds from an assumption that you have reviewed other
sections of this site, especially the 8 Step
Process, About Conflict, and Common
Problems areas. Keep in mind the following basic mediation process
as a guide to conducting a session with your staff:
- Pre-negotiation should precede
any face-to-face meeting between the parties involved. Spend some time
with each person individually, clarifying concerns ands desired outcomes
from the mediation process. Be sure they understand your role in this
situation is to facilitate their discussion, not to decide the matter
or counsel them. As well, clarify the limits of the process.
- An opening statement from
you affirms points made in pre-negotiation: you are here to facilitate
their discussion, and they have the power and opportunity to resolve
their differences. This is a safe and confidential space for discussion.
Establish ground rules together
that will support the creation of this type of space. The opening statement
sets the tone for the conversation to follow.
- Understanding the conflict involves allowing each person "air
time" to articulate concerns and initial positions in the dispute.
Practice active listening
in order to model the types of behaviors expected in this setting. In
turn, ask them to listen to one another.
- The problem-solving stage of the process requires a focus on the underlying
needs, interests and concerns that have been threatened by the conflict.
Stay patient. Be flexible in your thinking about the definition of the
problems facing them and support their exploration of new ways to consider
their situation. Focus on the importance of maintaining dignity in the
face of the challenges of impasse; if you remain calm and confident
in their capacity to do good work, they are likely to be successful.
- Build agreements that are meaningful and practical, truly addressing
the concerns at the heart of the conflict. Patiently explore all aspects
of the problem; it is too easy for people to assume that the problem
was "only a misunderstanding" and seek an early conclusion
to the meeting. Help them develop a process for implementing and evaluating
their agreement over time, using the goodwill of this discussion as
a foundation for an enduring solution.
- Close the process with a sense of respect and clarity. Establish a
time for checking in with each person in the coming weeks, not allowing
any residual problems (or new ones) to fester. This follow-through can
be critical to long-term success. Schedule a time to meet with them
together, if only to affirm the success of the agreement they have reached;
such a discussion may offer an opportunity to discuss other issues in
a constructive manner.
Be sure to clearly separate your involvement as a mediator from your
involvement as a Supervisor in a reporting relationship: As Supervisor,
you are required to evaluate staff performance, to engage in appropriate
discipline, to make determinations of roles and responsibilities, and
other tasks that may conflict with your intention to serve as an impartial
mediator. There are also restrictions to your involvement based upon the
Collective Bargaining Agreement or other UW policies. If you have any
questions or concerns regarding your potential mediating role in a staff
dispute, be sure to check with the Academic
Personnel Office or Classified
Personnel Office for guidance.
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