“It’s amazing how, even though we are all in different businesses, we all are having the same problems. The course work and interaction with my peers was most helpful.”
These comments come from members of MV Mediation’s Workplace Conflict Management cohort. Over 10 weeks each spring and fall, a new group of island managers and supervisors co-create a supportive community, talking about a topic that many shy away from: workplace conflict. Each week, a member presents a case study focused on a conflict at their work. They describe the situation, suggest what kind of feedback they are seeking, and listen to the ideas of the other cohort members. With kindness, participants point out conflict management tools that might be helpful, notice patterns, and suggest rephrasing, or improved body language. The case study presenter leaves with lots of feedback and ideas to try out. These are all supervisors, managers, or business owners who want to improve how they handle conflicts.
Members reflect on their own conflict attitudes––which approaches serve them well and which ones they want to work on. They learn to recognize their “hot buttons” and to practice techniques for regulating emotional responses by slowing down and reflecting, and they learn how to use constructive responses and how to listen carefully, to better understand. The glue that holds the whole thing together is the individual stories and dilemmas that participants share with each other. At the beginning of the course, class member pledge confidentiality throughout the course and beyond, knowing that privacy is so important on this small island.
Members share their successes, following up on situations described previously. “I kept quiet, I listened. I really tried to curb my judgment. And I didn’t take it personally,” one member reported back. The group gives lots of encouragement and congratulations. Knowing how hard it is to change habits and adopt new practices participants find easier to do with a cadre of others who are working in similar contexts.
In addition to working as a cohort, MV Mediation has experienced facilitators and mediators who can work with an organization and/or individual employees or coworkers one on one. These projects are tailored to specific needs. We have partnered with dozens of island organizations over the years and are very proud of our recent collaboration with the Agricultural Society. Together we hosted an effective communication workshop for island farmers with the goal of supporting managers and supervisors in creating a healthy workplace with positive approaches to conflict resolution.
MV Mediation gains new insights with each cohort and facilitation project, there is always more to learn and think about. It’s an honor to spend time with groups of island leaders working to add tools to their conflict resolution toolbox. Visit our website to learn more. Our next cohort will be in October 2023. Sign up here.