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Abstract:
Drawing on his work as a researcher and practicing mediator in interpersonal organizational conflict, the author argues that pre-caucusing-a separate meeting between the mediator and each of the stakeholders before they are ever brought together into a joint session-can not only overcome many of the negatives often associated with caucusing, but has the potential of becoming a pillar of conflict management. This is especially so when pre-caucusing is integrated into a transformative mediation framework. Pre-caucusing affords stakeholders the opportunity to vent and be heard at a critical time in the mediation process, when it can reduce defensiveness and increase creativity. Once in the joint session, stakeholders communicate with each other with less mediator interference.
Key Words:
caucusing, pre-caucusing, mediation, conflict resolution, alternative dispute resolution, conflict management skills, conflict management mechanics
Contributions of caucusing and pre-caucusing to mediation
Wherever choices exist, there is potential for disagreement. Such differences, when handled properly, can result in richer, more effective, creative solutions. But alas, it is difficult to consistently turn differences into opportunities. When disagreement is poorly dealt with, the outcome can be contention. Contention creates a sense of psychological distance between people, such as feelings of dislike, alienation, and disregard. Such feelings can get in the way of effective communication and resolution of even the most minute perceived differences (Billikopf 2000).
Deep-seated interpersonal conflict requires an enormous amount of skill to mediate, even when the best of present-day theory is put into practice by trained and skilled mediators. Yet others who may have little mediation training, such as facilitators, may at times find themselves in the role of mediator.
Despite years of experience as an admired and skillful facilitator, a colleague confessed that mediation required specialized skills. He described a recent intervention as a third-party neutral, one where he felt thrown into a lion's den. The stakeholders became involved in an ugly escalation right in front of him. As a mediator he felt impotent to help, and was even threatened by one irate stakeholder.
There are a number of subtle differences between what facilitators and mediators do. Although they both draw from a subset of common tools, there are important distinctions. Generally speaking, facilitators tend to help groups through the process of...