Question

Generally, what communication skills does it appear you would need to develop to get better at a) participating in and b) facilitating a mediation?

Answer 1

a. The' ground rules' for the mediation process will need to be laid out. Some basic rules of communication and confidentiality will usually be essential, but there may be others that are relevant to that situation as well. For example, you might want to state that only one person is talking at a time, that while someone is talking, the others are listening in silence, that there should be no verbal abuse at any time, and that everything that occurs stays confidential unless both parties agree to talk in counseling about it. You may also want to set out the role of the mediator: to be neutral and help the parties find an agreement but also, if necessary, to protect the parties from each other.

b. You must know when to take a leadership role, and when to be impartial and take a back seat to be an effective facilitator. That's a tough balance to keep! The key to being skilled in the role is to effectively plan and guide the proceedings, and stay focused on the group process and outcomes rather than on specific content and opinions involved.

Facilitation is an interesting, gratifying and essential function to play. Take time to think about the process and purpose while planning, and learn the skills you need to take through the event to a successful conclusion.