Third Party Neutral

Facilitating a Collaborative Discussion

As the workforce returns to the workplace, many unresolved issues return, and new ones emerge as everyone re-adjusts to their surroundings and to being near one another. Strengthening communication skills and using them effectively to help others build a respectful and high-performing workplace makes good sense from interpersonal, performance, and financial perspectives.

Those who are in a position of support, guidance and/or leadership, must level-up their skills and methods to help those around them re-integrate, communicate, solve issues, and build strong functional relationships enroute to a safer and more productive workplace. Although contributing to a respectful workplace is everyone’s responsibility, certain individuals have specific roles in ensuring that this happens. Bringing parties with issues together for the purpose of solving a problem and healing a work relationship can be challenging and uncomfortable. Having the knowledge, skills, and practice to do so, is not only a big responsibility, but also a great attribute! Doing so contributes to a healthier and more respectful work environment, reduced stress and anxiety as well as increased productivity, efficiency, morale, and home/work life balance.

This workshop uses and builds on skills and techniques acquired in the previous workshops: Foundations of Conflict Resolution and Managing and Resolving Conflict in the Workplace. It will provide participants with more precise skills and techniques to prepare participants for a collaborative process. This course will focus on: Assessing the situation, doing intake interviews, who should be involved, pre-process coaching and preparation for participants, as well as the role of the facilitator and the steps of the process. This course will help you turn confrontation into collaboration and guide the parties to create mutual understanding, resolve the problems, and strengthen the relationships! Everyone wins!

Third Party Neutral - Facilitating a Collaborative Discussion is an elective seminar for the Certificate in Managing Conflict.

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Program Content

How to Prepare and Facilitate a Collaborative Discussion

• What are the governing principles?
• Roles
• Using an Interest-Based (Collaborative) Process including:
  • Assessment
  • Buy-In (Commitment from participants) for the Process
  • Preparation
    • Intake Interviews
    • Issue Assessment
    • Pre-meeting coaching
  • Establishing Guidelines
  • Defining Issues
  • Exploring Interests (What is important to each person)
  • Developing Options
  • Agreements and An Action Plan for Success
  • Minutes of Settlement
  • Follow-up and Evaluation of the Process 

What You Will Learn

• Review of the Stages and steps of a Collaborative process
• Attributes and the role of the facilitator
• Leveraging the skills and techniques from previous workshops
• When and who should convene the process
• Preparing to convene the process
• Deciding who should attend
• Stages and steps of a collaborative process

 

Who Should Attend?

You will benefit from this seminar if you:

• are a leader (Supervisor, Manager), in HR, Union or support person who must deal with conflicts or disputes
• have an interest in improving workplace morale
• have responsibility to address a range of issues such as:
  • Grievances
  • Allegations of harassment, bullying, discrimination
  • Interpersonal conflicts (personality)
• wish to continue studies toward a certification in Mediation