Frequently Asked Questions

About Mediation:

What are the advantages of using mediation?

·         Prevents serious conflict

·         Saves you time and money

·         Preserves or enhance personal relationships

·         Keeps your discussions private

·         Provides you with the chance to explore a wide range of possible solutions, not just money

·         Allows you to maintain control of the outcome

 

How long does mediation take?

 

·         Depends on the complexity and number of issues to be resolved. 

·         Varies with the willingness of the parties

·         Usually from two to three hours per session

 

How much does mediation cost?

 

·         Depends on how long it takes

·         Each mediator has a set fee which you will be told before you sign an Agreement to Mediate.

 

What happens to the agreement reached in mediation?

 

·         You will be given with a copy of whatever agreement you reach.

·         You will be asked to specify who does what by when.

·         You will be asked how you would like to measure compliance with the agreement.

·         If arrived at within the Court system a copy will be filled in public records.

 

How do I know a mediator is right for me?

 

·         You will feel comfortable talking to him/her

·         You will feel confident that all parties will be treated impartially and as equal

·         You will have confidence in his/her qualifications and experience

·         She will be part of Collaborative Edge.

 

What happens if I don’t think mediation is working?

 

·         Mediation is voluntary; you may stop at any time. 

·         However, most difficult situations require discomfort before reaching a resolution.

·         Change can be hard, so be willing to be patient with one another.

        

 

 

 

 

 

        About Coaching

     One of the more recent approaches to personal and executive development is called coaching. Distinct from other forms of training, coaching focuses on the method of learning. Under a coaching paradigm, it is believed that “the more an individual is involved in identifying problems, in working out and applying solutions for them and in reviewing the results, the more complete and the more long-lasting the learning is. This form of self-learning tends to bring about learning with a deeper understanding than learning that is taught.” To give this more perspective, “coaching is very different than teaching or instructing. It is best described as facilitating. The coach encourages the learner to learn for him/herself. He/she becomes a proactive learner, capable of learning from almost any experience encountered.

 

What Coaches Do?

   Coaches’ help individuals set and achieve desired goals. Coaches utilize questions and assessment tools to help individuals become more effective. Through the insight gained from assessment tools and observations by the coach, individuals become more self-aware of their strengths and barriers, and develop strategies and plans to reach their goals. Coaching is most effectively employed when it is used to:

• support individual and organizational change performance
• provide support to enable personal transformation and career role transition
• support the development of future leaders for the organization
• provide an adequate container to address a specific problem area or challenge
• support and facilitate the creation of an organizational culture that values learning, creativity, and continuous improvement.

 

Why Would One Choose to Work With a Coach?

A critical aspect of working with a coach is to know what a good use of a coach is.

• Recognize the need to improve their performance and that it requires more than the acquisition of new knowledge or the development of new skills;
• Are willing and wanting to participate in a rigorous and honest self-appraisal;
• Recognize the need and are willing to ask for support to become more effective;
• Are willing to devote the time, energy, and resources to work with the coach to make changes over a period of months;
• Are willing to trust another person and genuinely talk about their strengths and challenges.

    Potential benefits of coaching to the employee include: better decisions, clearer goals and roles, increased self-awareness, more ideas and options, better relationships, better teamwork, reduced conflict, and renewed organizational commitment. Potential benefits to the organization include: improvements in productivity, quality, organizational strength, customer service, and shareholder value. Moreover, when coaching produces better alignment between personal and organizational values and goals, the results often include increased job satisfaction and organizational commitment and improved performance.

 

How Does a Coaching Partnership Work?

    The role of a coach is that of a strategic business partner. The coaching relationship is built on trust–that the coach supports the client without judgment. Furthermore, trust is built on the belief and fact that all coaching conversations remain confidential between the individual and the coach.

    Coaching relationships can vary in duration and complexity. A coach may use assessment instruments to help focus the coaching process. Coaching involves a close, long-term relationship between the coach and individual to address specific needs, and generally lasts from six to twelve months. Generally, a coach will continue to work with the client until the plan is implemented. A  coach focuses on helping an individual learn what it takes for him or her to improve existing capabilities, set meaningful goals, and be accountable for his or her results. A coach helps an individual understand and eliminate barriers to more effective performance.

   The role of a coach is that of a strategic business partner. The coaching relationship is built on trust–that the coach supports the client without judgment. Furthermore, trust is built on the belief and fact that all coaching conversations remain confidential between the individual and the coach.

 

  

 

 

About Facilitation:

 How is Facilitation different from 'Chairing a meeting'?

In the broad sense, facilitation is "helping groups become more efficient."  Therefore, it encompasses a valuable skill set for:

• leaders of all types,
• managers, executives,
• coaches and trainers,
• consultants and anyone else who works with groups.

Facilitation is not just keeping order and following a set of rules; it is modeling behaviour that encourages all members of the group to become actively involved.

 

But doesn’t that just take longer and allow a lot of ‘blowhards’ to dominate the discussion?

Initially it may take longer to accomplish a specific task.  A skilled facilitator becomes a part of the group conversation and helps guide it from within with respectful feedback, inclusive responses and open-ended questions.

 

Why would managers want everyone to get involved; that can’t be efficient?

Extensive involvement becomes efficient for the simple reason that the old adage, “Great minds think alike.” is a fallacy.   Members of an organization will contain a mix of different thinking styles and problem solving approaches thus more contribution maximizes the scope of the think tank.

 

If everybody is in meetings problem solving, who is doing the actual work?

Each group or organization has a different dynamic; part of facilitation is helping the group design a system that works for it.  That might mean small group meetings, suggestion boxes, informal lunches, a reporting chain, etc.  What matters is that individual members know:

·         their input is desired,

·         how to give it (when, what form, to whom),

·         that it will be considered,

·         what the results are and why.

 

Why is involvement so important?  Is this the ‘buy-in’ I keep hearing about?

No, skilled facilitation doesn’t result in just ‘buy-in’; it results in investment from group members.

The difference is that, “At a good breakfast of bacon and eggs, the hen ‘bought-in’ and the pig ‘invested’.”