Uses Of Mediation In Preventing Conflicts

Mediation is adaptable to anticipate problems, grievances and difficulties between parties before the conflict may arise. This has potential applications in large and private sector organizations, particularly where they are subject to excessive change, competition and economic pressure. A key way mediation is used to prevent these conflicts is complaint handling and management. This is a conflict prevention mechanism designed to handle a complaint effectively at first contact and to minimize the possibility of it developing into a dispute. A person who undertakes this role is commonly known as a dispute preventer.

While the corporate sector may provide one area in which to use the mediation process for preventing conflicts, dealing with everyday life’s disputes provides another. This is no more evident in neighborhood conflict. One’s behavior affects one’s neighbors, just as what they do affects you. The key way to prevent conflicts with neighbors is to behave as a good neighbor oneself. Simple consideration and conversation with neighbors helps achieve a peaceful coexistence. Making it is easier for you to live as privately or as sociably as you wish. Ideal suggestions for consideration in preventing conflicts between neighbors include:

• meeting one’s neighbors
• keeping one’s neighbors informed
• awareness of differences
• appreciation
• consideration of neighbors’ points of view
• showing candidness
• communicating
• demonstrating respect

One can also employ mediation to reduce or prevent violence in sports and in schools, using peers as mediators in a process known as peer mediation. This process (provides a way of handling conflicts and preventing violence in primary schools and high schools. Schools adopting this process often recruit and train students interested in being peer mediators.

In general, effective communication provides the ideal way to prevent and resolve any conflict; talking things over, along with listening, handles problems optimally and should ultimately avoid the dispute going to the courts.