Facilitation of Conflict Resolution Processes

Whenever people are working together, whether in a workplace, on a volunteer board, or in a community setting, conflict almost inevitably arises. Whether it arises over how to get work done, or over what work needs to be done, such conflict may present real obstacles to an organization that is trying to move forward to meet its goals.

The conflicts may be personal, they may be professional, and they may be philosophical, but they are almost always rooted in communication problems that can be improved by working with a skillful Facilitator. Bringing in an objective 3rd party to do an assessment of the problems and to make a recommendation as to how to proceed can be extremely beneficial. Following the assessment, the Facilitator prepares a report containing the results of the assessment, conclusions, and a series of recommendations for the organization to consider. Recommendations might include one or more facilitated meetings, some kind of more formal conflict resolution process (such as mediation), and/or training for some or all of the parties involved. Any follow-up action is separate from the assessment. The client may consider assessment and decide which of the recommended actions should be pursued.