We offer Human-centered Service Design, Mediation, Multi-Party Environmental and Public Policy Dispute Resolution, Consultation and Facilitation, Training and Coaching.
Mediation
Mediation is an informal conversation that is designed to solve a problem. What works best in solving difficult problems is for the conversation to take place in the presence of someone who is outside the problem, yet has some experience with similar problems. Mediation is voluntary; conversations are confidential and decisions are reached by consensus. Parties are supported to resolve disputes sustainably through effective communication, exploring of options, negotiation, and compromise. Up to 80% of litigation costs can be saved by using mediation, even in emotionally intense and complicated cases, from divorce and family disputes to business and political conflicts.
Multi-Party Environmental and Public Policy Dispute Resolution
Environmental and Public Policy Dispute Resolution is different from typical mediation. In these complex situations the mediator is an advocate for problem solving and for solution(s). We have process expertise over substance expertise.
The role of the process expert is to ensure that everybody has the resources that they need. The field may be known by another name, collaborative leadership, making it broader than dispute resolution because in some cases these processes occur to avoid disputes.
This field started in the late 1970s by a group of people who were labor mediators who were involved in disputes that exceeded the bounds of labor management. The first dispute of record was a garbage strike. It typically would have just dealt with the garbage workers, but it ended up that there were a lot of racial issues, social justice issues, and the people who were labor mediators were asked to help settle the dispute.
And this is how the field emerged, It has evolved over time. The people who were involved in that first dispute essentially wrote the principals How do we do this? How does it compare to a typical dispute? And then how do we take people who are trained as labor mediators and teach them this skill?
Consultation and Facilitation
We offer strategic support, dialogue facilitation and systems design, as part of a diverse, inter-disciplinary network of conflict resolution professionals which includes mediators, attorneys, social workers, business managers, psychologists, consultants, trainers, educators, and conflict resolution system designers.
Strategic Support and Team-Building. Develop visions, goals, programs, and partnerships to solve problems at an affordable price.
Design and Facilitation of Dialogues. Support organizations, governments and communities in designing, convening and facilitating small and large-scale dialogues that harness DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion) for creative solutions.
Conflict Resolution Systems Design. Target and analyze chronic organizational problems, and design alternative systems and structures to correct these problems. Examine the causes, diagnose problems, and design system-wide solutions to prevent their recurrence.
Training and Coaching
Training and coaching in communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, and mediation. Customized to meet the needs of clients, whether individuals, couples or groups. People in organizations (including managers, union leaders and employees) are supported in learning essential skills in how to manage conflicts, solve chronic problems, improve partnerships and relationships, reduce racial, sexual and cross-cultural biases, negotiate collaboratively, work with difficult behaviors, and resolve grievances and complaints.