Reconciling Conflicting Interests
A Mediator's Guide to the Beyond Intractability Website1
- When
two people are engaged in a conflict do you offer to get involved to help them
think through the problem?
- Are
you the kind of person whom others come to for help in dealing with their
problems?
- In a conflict situation, do you try to find a solution that
works well for everyone involved?
If you answered "yes" to one or
more of the above questions, you may be a mediator. And if you are a mediator,
then this site is for you!
Who are Mediators?
Mediators are people who — officially or unofficially — get involved in a dispute in order to help the
parties resolve it. Unlike arbitrators
or judges, mediators have no power to define or enforce an agreement, but they
can help the parties to voluntarily reach agreement by helping them identify
their options and
engage in negotiation.
Heads of state or their envoys often act as official
mediators in international conflicts; ombudsmen may do so at the
organization level. Informal intermediaries — sometimes called Track
II diplomats — do the same at the international level, and,
co-workers, friends, or family members can act as informal
intermediaries in workplace, family, or neighborhood conflicts.
For More Information
[1] Much of the material on
this user guide is drawn from www.thirdside.org. Thanks to Bill Ury and Josh
Weiss for giving us permission to republish their material here.
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