3.5.2.1: Mediating Role
- Page ID
- 15635
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A mediator is an impartial person, who can help people with opposing views to find commonality, agreement, and/or understanding.
Compiled by: Grace Wildermuth
Idea
The next time you are with two or more people who are discussing something about which they disagree, take on the role of mediator. Step back from your own viewpoint and seek instead to help the others in your group understand where the other person is coming from. This could be in person or on social media such as Facebook. Use active listening skills (or the equivalent of these skills expressed in writing) to help two or more people find areas of common ground. What did you do? What worked? What didn’t work?
Key skills
Listening, paraphrasing, looking for underlying issues, where they differ, where they agree.