In the summer holidays, I went away to peaceful Pittwater and stayed in lodge surrounded by spotted gums, wallabies and the occasional lyre bird and snake. I swam, kayaked and read in a hammock looking out at a frangipani tree. I didn’t read the newspaper, having time...

A reflection on Greg Rooney and Margaret Ross’ Mediation Retreat

Tuscany June 2019

When I first saw the title of Greg Rooney and Margaret Ross’ “Mediation Retreat”, I felt it was a play on words from the common concept of a “Meditation Retreat”. I anticipated it would be...

From 15 to 17 April I attended the National Mediation Conference in Canberra. Dr June Oscar AO, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, spoke of an Indigenous approach to mediation and peacekeeping that involves deep listening without an agen...

Workplace mediation compared with other areas of mediation

Workplace mediation is different to other types of mediation. The main difference is that it is about an ongoing relationship. It involves colleagues who will continue to work together.

As a generalisation, many...

Many mediations I do involve a staff member and their manager. The staff member complains that they can’t make themselves heard by the manager. The manager says that they are just doing their job by making decisions. Although there has been a discussion between the man...

Workplace conflict is a number of things. But one thing it is not: it is not a functional workplace relationship.

Workplace conflict is about a dysfunctional relationship, a workplace dynamic which impedes functional operations and team cohesion. It is about interperson...