….TOT 148-Navigating

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NAVIGATING

Mediator speaks the least in any mediation. The parties are  encouraged to speak more. However the mediator navigates the  flow of thoughts.  Mediator encourages parties to express their thoughts in words, in order to ensure that the parties get clarity on their intended course of action.  Navigation is generally done through effective  purposive questions.  What questions are asked, when and how and where  and to whom , all play a vital role in any mediation.  In order to  strengthen this skill of asking questions  in the trainees trainer has to travel an extra mile.

Following method can be  used;-

1. A chosen role play is given .  Participants  are  formed into  different groups.
2. After first few sessions, ( One joint  session, one or two private sessions), four trainees amongst  the participants playing the role of party/s are  separated.
3. Four  persons are chosen to play the role of mediators.
4. Each of the  four persons ( Party )  is  asked to go to  one of the four mediators.
5. 10 minutes time is given  .
6. In the allotted ten minutes the mediator  is supposed to  ask  3 effective questions.

( All questions must be either “WHY/WHAT /HOW/WHEN/WHERE?” questions only.   Mediator is not permitted to ask a combination of all the types of questions but stick on to one particular form  only. 

Ex: Why do you think this happened.

       Why did he do it according to you?

Why do you consider this as an insult?  Etc..

(All “WHY” questions)

This exercise is done in advanced courses only.

Pre briefing by the lead trainer , as to what needs to be done  is very important.

( Parties should not begin with their narrative from the beginning, as everyone would have  participated in the mediation process till then).

In a caucus  of ten minutes between the mediator and the party, mediator starts the discussion with one of the questions. In ten minutes’ duration, mediator is not supposed to ask more than 3 questions.

FEEDBACK:-

        After the exercise, each party  is asked to give feedback as to:

1. The relevancy of the questions
2. Whether the questions asked were helpful in their decision making process.
3. Was there just a movement or progress  in the session.

ADVANTAGES;

Trainees are trained in asking effective questions.

They are trained in cultivating the habit of formulating a question helpful for the parties in the decision making process., before actually asking the question.

They are in complete control of navigation of the process.

Their professionalism gets reflected.

“Execution  is a systematic process of rigorously discussing hows and whats, tenaciously following through, and ensuring accountability.”

Lawrence Bossidy- American Author and a business executive.

(All copyrights reserved by the author S.Susheela)