RESOLVING CONFLICT

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RESOLVING CONFLICT

• Alternatives to Legal Action

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Why ABAC offersalternatives

• Angry people need a more rational way to resolve
  their conflicts than rushing into formal
  grievance proceedings or into court.

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Steps to take when you have a dispute with
someone you work with
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Step One

• Talk with the person you are having problems with
  and see if the two of you can resolve your
  differences informally.

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Step Two

• Talk with your immediate supervisor
• If your immediate supervisor is the source of the
  conflict, or if talking with him or her hasnt
  resolved things, go on
  to the next step.

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Step Three

• Go to the next level of supervision

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Mediation

• If no resolution is made after the first three
  steps, individuals are encouraged to pursue
  mediation as the next step.

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What is mediation?

• A conflict resolution process in which a trained
  neutral person assists parties in reaching a
  settlement of their differences

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Stages of Mediation

• Each person will share, without interruption,
  what happened.
• Mediator may ask questions to clarify issues.

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Stages of Mediation

• After each party has shared their issues, the
  parties may ask questions of each other.
• The mediator restates all the issues, then ideas
  for resolving the conflict are generated.

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Stages of Mediation

• Each idea is considered and agreement is reached.
• The mediator may request a meeting with each
  party alone. Things said here will not be shared
  with the other party unless permission is given.

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Stages of Mediation

• When agreement is reached, the mediator will
  write an agreement that all parties sign.
• Each party will receive a copy of the agreement.

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What if youre not happy with the results of
mediation?

• You may file a grievance.

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What if you would like to try mediation but dont
want another ABAC employee listening to your
discussions?

• A mediator from elsewhere in the University
  System may be brought in.

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Will the mediator tell me what I have to do to
settle the dispute?

• No the mediator will listen and facilitate
  discussion and may suggest ways of solving the
  dispute, but will not impose her/his own judgment.

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How do you submit a dispute for mediation?

• Contact the Appropriate Dispute Resolution
  Committee, Bertha Daniel, Chair

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Grievances

• Only if mediation does not resolve the dispute
  should a formal written grievance be filed.

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For the sake of morale and a better atmosphere
for learning and service,

• it is desirable to resolve conflicts at the
  lowest possible level.