In this first video and podcast in our series 'Mediators discuss....' Alan has a conversation with Melloney Guiver - The HR Lawyer - about our respective experiences of working in the area of conflict resolution in workplaces.
Melloney’s work has led her to conclude that the ‘old ways’ of managing employment issues through progressive disciplinary and grievance, procedures, rarely work to resolve them for employer and employee. She is passionate about re-writing these rules to create new ways of people management and this has become part of her work mission.
Alan's experiences of workplace mediation are drawn from 14 years of providing the process, as well as conflict coaching for various public sector and community organisations, particularly in universities but also local authorities and charitable organisations.
The discussion explores various areas of workplace conflict and the often ineffective and counterproductive 'standard' approaches that involve disciplinary and grievance procedures and bullying and harassment policies, often as the only option available to those involved. These can be seen as representing parent child relationships in the workplace and are inevitably less effective than a more 'adult-adult' working relationship.
Please share your thoughts and questions about the discussion in the comments section.
For more details about Melloney please see her profile page at gunnercooke: https://gunnercooke.com/people/melloney-guiver/
Alan Sharland has been a Mediator and Conflict Coach for over 27 years working in a wide range of dispute situations including neighbour disputes, workplace disputes, complaints (NHS, Special Educational Needs, University Student), group disputes and others. He was Director of a community mediation service in West London for 11 years and now runs CAOS Conflict Management. https://www.caos-conflict-management.co.uk
Connect with Alan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alansharland
If you would like Conflict Coaching via Zoom, please contact Alan via this webpage: https://www.caos-conflict-management.co.uk/conflict-coaching.html
Check out and like the Communication and Conflict Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/communicationandconflict/
Visit the Communication and Conflict website: https://www.communicationandconflict.com
Books and ebooks:
The Simple Effective Skills of Conflict Resolution e-book https://www.communicationandconflict.com/conflict_resolution_skills.html
How to Resolve Bullying in the Workplace: Stepping Out of the Circle of Blame to Create an Effective Outcome for All https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Resolve-Bullying-Workplace-Effective/dp/1511941316
A Guide To Effective Communication for Conflict Resolution - How Mindful Communication Supports Growth Through Conflict.
Purchase the book at this link on amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1790335221
CREDITS Outro Music: All Colours Pt 6 by Bob Holroyd, from album Hollowman: https://music.apple.com/us/album/hollowman/677559200