Facilitate Successful Staff Mediations

When tension or conflict arises between staff members, apply this three-step process to repair relationships and restore a productive learning culture.

In a recent Edutopia article, principal Peter Neeves discusses his approach for diffusing tension between staff members.

1. Meet individually with each staff member. This is your opportunity to listen, and the staff member’s opportunity to be heard. I would encourage you to use the 5-Steps to Intentional Impact from Anese Cavanaugh to coach each person to consider what they want to have happen and what that means for how they show up.
2. Bring the staff members together. Keep them focused on the future. The opportunity to rehash the past was during the one on ones. You’re inviting them to use their energy to move forward. You might consider the following questions:
   1. What do you want your working relationship to be like?
   2. What’s one thing you can each do today to bring you closer to this preferred relationship?
   3. What do you each need from each other to move forward?
   4. What does that look like?
   5. What are you committing to today?
      As the leader, plan to follow up with each in writing reminding them of what they agreed to.
3. Follow through. Check in with each person to validate the work. Is each upholding the commitments that were made? 

Not all conflicts are resolved in a single meeting, and in some cases, individual coaching can be necessary.

Read the full article