ORG 478 Mediation Skills

This course will provide "hands on" training and experiences in behaving as a neutral third-party mediator to facilitate negotiations between and among disputing individuals, groups, and organizations. The course makes extensive use of self-assessment instruments, role playing, simulations, analyses of videos, feedback, and other highly participative methods to explore one’s conscious use of self in behaving in effective ways to manage conflict. Topics include mediation and negotiation theory; integrative negotiations; role of the mediator; stages of the mediation process; framing negotiations; bids and offers; developing options; reaching an agreement; authoring an Agreement; and related topics including dealing with impasse, handling emotions, fairness, ethics, maintaining neutrality, apology, power, confidentiality, and assessing outcomes.