#28 EdM
Mediation and facilitation – The difference.
What makes the difference between mediation and facilitation for the third person?
Episodes of mediation.
The podcast on practical questions about mediation and conflict management.
This is episode 28 – Mediation and facilitation – The difference.
Summary
In this episode, the difference between moderation and mediation is explained using a practical example: a group meeting with latent conflicts, where topic-related moderation was deliberately used instead of mediation.
The key difference lies in the motivation of those involved:
In mediation, everyone is aware that they are coming together to resolve conflicts.
Moderation is about working together on issues without conflict management being an explicit part of the assignment - even if conflicts become apparent during the process.
This initial situation has a decisive influence on the role and methodological approach of the third person. While mediators can and should actively work with conflicts, moderators must weigh up very carefully whether and how they intervene.
Conclusion: Mediation is not fundamentally more difficult than facilitation - in fact, it is often the other way round, as the clarity of the conflict assignment in mediation has a relieving effect. Moderation assignments with emerging conflicts are particularly challenging.
Contents
[0:03]Welcome to the episodes of Mediation, INKOVEMA's podcast on the practical issues of mediation and conflict management. I am Sascha Weigel and in this podcast I explain case questions from my mediation and conflict counselling practice. I present concepts and models of mediation and categorise different perspectives and decision-making options. This is episode 28: Mediation and moderation. The difference.
[0:31]This time I'm going to talk about mediation and facilitation in a very generalised way to highlight a difference I noticed the other day. Together with my wonderful colleague Angelika Wendt, I have organised a larger working group within a corporate group, which had withdrawn for three days to take stock and reorganise itself. During the preparatory phase, the company described intense conflict situations that had arisen in recent months, particularly between two people.
[1:10]It was not only the two people themselves who were now looking forward to the upcoming retreat with concern, but also the group members around them. One person involved in the conflict was interested in working through the difficulties by way of a broken-out mediation within the retreat. The other person was not interested in this at all, but emphasised that they wanted to work on their own in and with the group as a whole. Mediation was out of the question for her. Long story short, I tamed my mediator's heart and didn't make mediation a condition of the moderation and the retreat as a whole, but instead allowed myself to embark on the experiment of moderating the entire retreat and not focussing on the conflict between the two people or forcing mediation. There were some reasons in favour and some against. And that's what we decided. No mediation.
[2:12]And in retrospect, I'm glad I did. In the present context, I have learnt the lesson that I want to share with you here today. The difference between facilitation and mediation seems to be well known and could be dealt with quickly. The aim of moderation is to structure and manage a group that wants to achieve something together. And mediation is about understanding and resolving conflicts. The role of the third moderator is more of a discussion leader and the mediator is impartial. The task of the moderator is to focus on the topic, time management, visualisation and documentation, while mediators should promote understanding. Clarification of interests and finding a solution. I could go on and on with these differences and I have created a table that I am happy to make available on the episode website. You can put the differences next to each other like this, but the knowledgeable reader will know immediately.
[3:26]Yes, mediation, that is also something moderative and conflict moderation itself, that can also play a role in conflict management. They are not far apart and if you look at the concept of conflict moderation from the Hamburg school around Alexander Redlich, then it quickly becomes clear that you can call it either way. But there is an important reason, a difference that I have learnt in these three days and that really makes a difference for the third person. It is the motivations of those involved and these motivations that form the basis for the assignment. In a moderation, the participants come together and have not consciously and generally agreed to address the conflicts personally. In the case of moderation, the participants come together and have not consciously agreed to address the conflicts personally. Or to allow themselves to be addressed.
[4:35]But them want personally work together and the made possible, also light in the meantime Potential for conflict to suggest, them to mark and also a little to edit. Or also, in the Moderation pops it on. With one Mediation have the Participants itself before however together communicated and agreed, that their Meeting at the Conflict management Will takes place. And the Mediator or other surrounding Persons know the also. And the changes the Game for the third Person in each respect. In Mediation training leave itself many experienced Moderators find. The believe, them must still once Mediation training approach, because them there the Conflict management learn. Because in their Moderations goes it whole frequently at Conflict. But them become not in the Centre of the Order placed, And the makes the Processing so heavy. The Conflicts plop then suddenly on, although the Moderator the already long seen and also fears has.
[5:42]Mediation is on the other hand almost already easy, because the Parties want the Conflicts address, also when them the difficult. And the Mediator may these Conflicts address, also when he so that often rejected becomes. But Conflicts in one Moderation situation to act, oh what, to orchestrate, the is something whole other. And the Moderation assignment thereby not from the Eyes to lose, the is one true Art. And therefore are Moderation assignments, with those Conflicts pop up, so difficult to edit. And therefore is it also meaningful, one Mediation training to make, with the one learns, like it is, one Group from People through one Conflict management to lead, the the however also want, also when it them difficult. The Order in addition have them at least issued. Decisive is so for the Difference, whether the Participants aware and informed, itself each other informing came together are, at the Conflicts to address and to edit. These Motivation, the on all sides known is and therefore the Expectation produced, these Conflicts become also addressed and them become approached directly, influenced authoritative the methodological Procedure the third Person.
[7:00]In one Moderation to one Factual question is the sudden Surfacing more concrete Conflicts however one Border for the Moderator, the them at least to concrete contract-related Interventions lead should. May I with You more in these Direction go? Where is Your Limit? Etc. Etc. Is the here the suitable Room, Timing and Frame, at these Themes through You edit to leave?
[7:30]In one Mediation is the Conflict management however the Working basis for the third Person. Here may the third Person on the one hand expect, that itself the Persons not direct withdraw, on the other hand but her Speed itself determine. The Mediation person must therefore not thematic drain, probably but increased mindful be in the Approach on the critical, often sensitive Topics. This seems me the decisive Difference to be between Moderation and Mediation, the Motivation the Participants, the Conflict direct to address and this Will also the other Person and the Contractor person the third Person to communicate and so that at the same time the Expectation to produce, that one them itself also thereupon address may. The missing in one Moderation and the makes the Situation so difficult.
[8:27]Mediation is so not per se more difficult as one Moderation. And it is already something on it, that Conflicts in one Moderation assignment more difficult to handle are, to Containers are. The Mediation has their Difficulty, at all the Parties on one Table to get. Are them on one Table, is the Half the Labour already done. The war’s for this Times. Many Thanks to for Listen and perhaps could you the one or other Idea for one yours Cases develop, spin on or also here Decisions meet. In favour wish I you in any case good Success. And when you this Podcast support would like, then leave behind but please a Feedback on Apple Podcast or Google Business. For the Moment say goodbye I me with you with the best Wishes. Until to the next Times. Comes good through the Time. I am Sascha Weigel, Host from INKOVEMA and Partner for professional Conflict management and Instructor for Mediation and Coaching training programmes.
[9:31] Music
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