When Is Third Party Intervention Useful?

High risk with raising an issue Patterns of behavior are hard to change Potential for violence When the parties arent able to clarify the basis of the conflict When external parties request a third party

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What Do Third Parties Do?

There are three general types of third parties--arbitrators, mediators and facilitators. They differ in terms of the degree of control they have over the settlement terms, their role in the negotiation or conflict dialogue process, and their knowledge of the issues in dispute.
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Control Over Settlement Terms

Arbitrators Varies from a lot to none Mediators Little, if any Facilitators None

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Role in the Process

Arbitrators Structures the process, may influence the process Mediators Structures the process (with different levels of participant input) Facilitators Structures the process

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Knowledge of the Issues

Arbitrators Usually a lot Mediators Little if any Facilitators Little if any

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The Nature of Mediation

Mediation is the involvement of an impartial third party in an existing dispute between two or more persons in which the mediator facilitates the communication between the parties and promotes the use of constructive conflict management behaviors.
Tricia S. Jones, Temple University, copyright protect, March 2006

When Mediation is Appropriate

A skilled mediator is present Participants are willing to mediate Extremely destructive relational patterns are absent The balance of power between the parties is relatively equal There are incentives to parties to try and make the situation better and/or to solve the problem(s)
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The Mediators Job

Although there are different opinions about the style that a mediator should adopt, most people agree that a mediator has two general roles:
Facilitates communication by helping the parties talk together effectively Encourages the parties to use constructive, integrative conflict management behaviors
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More specific duties include:

Scheduling number, time, place of meetings Establishing the general format of each meeting and the persons who participate Helping interpret the ideas and expressions of the parties Expanding the parties range of resources Helping parties think about what they want to do and how they can achieve this Helping parties assess the consequences and the Tricia S. Jones, Temple University, copyright protect, March 2006 realities of their suggestions and actions