| What We Offer
to Businesses:
 Example:
What seemed to be a small incident has poisoned relations between two
valued employees. The conflict is damaging not only their own productivity
but now those they work with as well. You wonder what is really behind
all this.
Many employment
related grievances and even lawsuits are simply examples of bad
communication. Your first reaction to any conflict related to
your business should be to bring together those involved in and affected
by the dispute, not keep them apart. A skilled mediator
will meet with the parties individually and then bring them together in
a joint session where they can openly and honestly exchange their feelings
and points of view. If the conflict is more widespread, a conference
of all involved or affected by the dispute should be called. A facilitator
is careful to avoid the terms of right and wrong. Instead each opinion
is given equal respect. By building trust,
especially between employees and management, relationships are repaired
and promoted. By involving those closest to the problem, the best resources
available are employed to not only solve the immediate problem, but also
to use the occasion as a springboard for generating creative growth
for the future of your business. A skilled negotiator will show those
involved how to turn the energy of the conflict from negative to positive
growth.
What We Offer to Community Organizations:
 Example:
Your club or organization is breaking up into small factions that talk
behind each other's backs. It seems that there is a power struggle at
the top. Members are starting to leave. Things are no longer the way they
used to be.
Your group
could come together for a community building event. This
is a meeting of all interested members in an open circle.
Each person is asked in turn to speak personally about
how her or she is being affected by what is going on. In this way each
member contributes to a community understanding of the
problem affecting the organization, without passing judgment on any particular
member. By having time to reflect, each person considers his or her part
in what is going on and passes self judgment where appropriate. After
the problem is uncovered in this way, each person is asked to contribute
what he or she needs to see happen in order to put things right or what
he or she can contribute to make things right. A consensus is then built,
with the help of an experienced facilitator on a plan of action.
The principles
used in community building are similar to those of restorative
justice. Community building creates a safe place where those present
get to know each other on a much deeper personal level than everyday conversation.
By each person taking responsibility for sharing in the discovery of the
problem and in working out a solution, your organization itself becomes
a more open and relaxed atmosphere, where it becomes safe you to be yourself
and say what's on your mind without fear of repercussions or hidden comments.
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