INKOVEMA Podcast „Well through time“

#25 – Transgressive Mediation

Enabling the path to peace with metaphors. Cross-border mediation for highly escalated conflicts.

In conversation with Ed Watzke.

Well through time. The podcast about mediation, conflict coaching and organisational consulting.

Dr Ed Watzke, Born in 1951, studied sociology and education at the University of Vienna, mediator, social worker and psychotherapist, has overturned the phase-orientated understanding of mediation in German-speaking countries in thousands of mediation cases (primarily in out-of-court settlements). His transgressive mediation, Carried by metaphors, irritations, humorous but persistent border crossings, the mediation horse is bridled from behind. Peace Now! First the peace agreement, then the work (of the client). Mediation is not win-win, but pay-pay. In an interview with Sascha Weigel, Ed Watzke explains what this means in concrete terms and how mediators can proceed.

Contents:

Transgressive mediation was largely formulated by the Austrian mediator Ed Watzke and later expanded into the "metaphor bridge". This is a holistic, situational approach. Watzke also sees the role and task of the mediator as facilitating a basis for communication that is suitable for dialogue, whereby he follows the "way of the court jester". With the help of metaphors, exaggerations and exaggerations, without offending, he invites the participants to an "equilibristic dance", which begins with an unequivocal commitment to tread the "path of peace". This style has been developed primarily on the basis of highly escalated (ongoing) conflicts.

  • Normopathy in society:

    • For Watzke, the need for a transgressive approach arises from the social tendency towards normopathy, the "disease/disorder" of compulsively adhering to predetermined rules without questioning them and not knowing what to do when useful rules and guidelines do not exist at all. And especially in times when the future is in doubt, such as during conflicts, useful rules and routines are few and far between.

  • Irritation work by mediators:

Mediation is pay-pay, not win-win.

  • Procedure in transgressive mediation:

    • In the here and now of mediation, it is first and foremost about taking the first small step towards peace. Mediation is not win-win at all, but pay-pay! The parties must Invest in the peace relationshipA mediator does not need to start before that. Only the direction of the first step is important, not its size. A small first step is sufficient, but must be perceived and recognised as such by the other party.

Literature:

  • Watzke, E.: Equilibristic dance between worlds. On the way to a transgressive mediation, 3rd edition, Mönchengladbach 2004.

  • Watzke, E.: "Wahrscheinlich hat diese Geschichte gar nichts mit Ihnen zu tun ...", Geschichten, Metaphern, Sprüche und Aphorismen in der Mediation, 2nd edition, Mönchengladbach 2008.

  • Gigerenzer, G.: Risk. How to make the right decisions. New York, 2020.
  • Gigerenzer, G.: Gut decisions. The intelligence of the unconscious and the power of intuition. New York, 2007.