It is when two people cannot reach a
point of compromise that others may be called to mediate the process.
This is a normal process in contract talks between unions and companies.
It is also common in the ministry when there is marriage counseling
involved. A teacher may have a principal mediate a situation between a
student and a parent with the school. There are many areas that call for
mediation.
Not all situations are as extreme as a hostage situation. Every time a professional with a conflict resolution degree
is called in to a situation, the professional has the skills to
navigate through the conflict. In even the smallest of disagreements,
there is always something being held hostage. It could be a point of
view, a compromise, an emotional response or a financial gain. There is
always something on both sides that will need to be revised to complete
the compromise.
Someone who has been trained in conflict
resolution understands how to bring people together to begin the
negotiation process. They know how to read people’s body language and
understand what is at the heart of the conflict. They understand that it
is not just about mediation, but the bonding of two sides to reach a
solution to a problem that will give the two sides a better
understanding of each other’s point of view.
It takes a trained professional to help
people get past their emotional barriers to the point where they can
begin to talk to the other one. This type of training allows the
professional the ability to understand the situation and the legal
aspects of conflicts in order to facilitate a reasonable and responsible
solution. People who are trained in dispute resolution have people
skills and are generally employed in an area that exposes them to
conflict as part of their job, like the military, public jobs and the
clergy.
