Does mediation really work in instances of workplace conflict? Conflict at work can be distracting. It can also hinder performance, increase costly employee turnover, and lead to potential legal issues. These consequences become increasingly likely if the conflict or related tensions have been brewing chronically or over a long period of time. Mediation can...
When workplace conflict requires intervention, employers may have to decide between flexing their own conflict resolution skills or getting the help of third-party mediation services. Mediation in all forms can be beneficial to life after conflict, facilitating collaborative solutions between those involved in the conflict while reducing collateral damage. But while mediation has its perks,...
Summary of: Nixon, C. (2017). Helping ourselves first: Conflict management strategies of regional international organizations. University Honors Program Theses, 248. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/honors-theses/248 Background & Theory The author discusses the critical need of regional international organizations (RIOs) to intervene in ethnic conflicts, but notes some of the surrounding limitations to creating sustainable peace, such as the level...
Summary of: Kubíček, A. and Machek, O. “Intrafamily conflicts in family businesses: A systematic review of the literature and agenda for future research” (2020). Family Business Review. Background & Theory: Research in the field of family business conflicts is surprisingly uncommon, considering the large range of disagreements that can occur within family businesses. Disagreements such...
It is common for disputing parties, especially in the workplace, to have a power dynamic in which one has more pull than the other. This can be true if the workplace conflict includes an employee and their manager, an employee and their customer, or workers from different departments sparring over work details. Felicia Staub, a...
Managers might scoff at the amount of time they have to put toward mitigating workplace interpersonal conflict instead of managing productivity, overseeing innovation, attending important meetings, and networking for individual or team growth. But what many managers don’t know until it’s too late is that conflict among team members can be costly. Productivity, profits, and...
Summary of: Mirivel, J. C. (2019). Communication behaviors that make a difference on well-being and happiness. In Velazquez, J .A. M. & Pulido, C. M. (Eds.), The routledge handbook of positive communication (Ch. 6). New York. Taylor & Francis. Background & Theory The author of this article evaluates real-life experiences to answer questions surrounding positive...
Summary of: Douglas, B., & Orpinas, P. (2019). Goals and strategies to solve peer conflict: Comparison by aggression trajectories. Pensamiento Psicológico, Volume 17(2), 23-35. doi:10.11144/Javerianacali.PPSI17-2.gssp Background & Theory This article explores how adolescent youth in three different aggressive behavior trajectories might use different methods, goals, and strategies to handle conflict, and what this means for...
Pollack Peacebuilding Systems’ founder, Jeremy Pollack, was recently interviewed on The Ty Brown show. Here, he discussed how martial arts led him to peacebuilding, and he explained some of the most common communication breakdowns he encounters and how to solve them. Read our summary below and check out the whole interview here. Stop Hitting Yourself...
Youth in Wayne County, Michigan who find themselves in trouble with the law now have a new option: mediation. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced a partnership with local mediation experts at the Wayne County Dispute Resolution Center. Who’s Eligible? This program is not open to everyone. Juveniles must be first time offenders and the...
