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Introduction:
Silke Hansen of Community Relations Service suggests that
people may be reluctant to participate in mediation because they
see it as a failure to resolve their own problems. They may also be
very wary of participating in a conversation with someone towards whom they feel
quite hostile. One role of third parties is to determine whether mediation is a feasible
option and put parties at ease.
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This rough transcript provides a text alternative to audio. We apologize for occasional errors and unintelligible sections (which are marked with ???).
Reluctant Disputants and the Third Party
Silke Hansen
Senior Conciliation Specialist, Community Relations Service
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Q: When you come into a situation, how do you assess the appropriateness of
your techniques and models to that situation? Is mediation your primary tool? Do
you have other tools?
A: I have other tools. But in some ways, and this is sort of a personal
thing, I think when I first approach a conflict, I try to determine whether I can get
the situation into mediation. That is sort of my own framework that I work
towards. I might find out that one of the parties is really reluctant or
there might be some other needs.
For instance, if one of the parties will accept training in one of the areas
that is creating the tension, then I will go a long way towards easing the
tension in resolving the conflict. So that's what I'll do. It is interesting how many parties still see agreeing to mediation as a failure on their part.
It's as if they request mediation, they are acknowledging that they couldn't
handle the situation themselves. I'm not really sure what they're
afraid of. I've noticed that there is a great reluctance on the part of parties,
sometimes, especially "establishment" parties, if you will. But if they agreed to
mediation, it seems like a huge legal step, when in fact, the whole idea of mediation is less
legal and in some ways a less formal response to conflict, but it is difficult
sometimes to sell that.
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