OUR APPROACH - CENTER STAGE MEDIATION

In order to be both effective and compassionate in helping parties in dispute work through their conflict, we embrace the principles and practice of the understanding-based approach to conflict resolution, sometimes referred to as “principled negotiation”. As developed by the Harvard Negotiation Project and detailed by Roger Fisher and William Ury in “Getting to Yes”, this approach goes beyond the position-driven “I win – you lose” mentality to focus instead on understanding the parties’ respective interests, and to link those interests with creative solutions offering mutual gain. Our goal is to support all parties by helping them better understand their own views and communicate effectively with each other. In this way a resolution can be reached that responds to each of their needs and interests rather than one in which each party can only have his/her needs met at the expense of the other.

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT

In order to better understand the underlying conflict, we actively seek to understand each party as fully as possible and, in so doing, facilitate their understanding of what they most care about and the realities they face. We help the parties express themselves in the presence of the other and to deal directly with each other when appropriate so that each can better understand the other to the extent they are willing and able to do so. Furthermore, we support each party in making decisions together that respond to what they each care about.

RESOLVING CONFLICT

We believe that, in order to resolve the conflict, two things need to occur. First, the parties need to understand the non-productive patterns of interacting with each other that that keep them divided. When parties are in conflict there is often a considerable degree of tension. There may be obstacles to constructive communication, such as a cycle of blame and recrimination or one party habitually accommodating the wishes of the other. We work with the parties to help them see how such patterns impede the ability to move forward and to help them find a more productive way. Second, we help the parties understand the significant needs and interests that underlie their stated positions. By exploring the importance and priority of those needs and interests, we help the parties identify a fuller range of options that may be available to them in resolving their dispute.