Category: Mediation

BlueMediation is honoured to have been invited to speak on three recent episodes of podcasts! Founder Tom Girling appeared on Dr. Debra Dupree’s Decoding the Conflict Mindset podcast this past January to discuss law enforcement in the wake of 2020-2021 social and political unrest.

One of the ‘hot’ topics among cities, organizations and dispute resolution professionals alike is how law enforcement addresses community issues, social unrest, political violence and behavioral health issues. Understanding the pressures that law enforcement faces when out on the street and the strife they encounter can fray the nerves and take its toll.

Decoding the Conflict Mindset, Episode 11

Here’s the full episode:

BlueMediation founder Tom Girling made another podcast appearance, this time on the Creativity Unleashed podcast.

Host Sergio Navarretta talks to guest, former undercover narcotics officer Tom Girling, about mindset, how working undercover is similar to acting, the importance of having intention in our lives, and never being afraid of asking for help.

Unleashing Creativity, Episode 8

You can listen to the full podcast on Spotify, or here:

Blue Mediation founder Tom Girling was recently on Karen Kelly’s K2 Sales Podcast, discussing workplace conflict issues and mediation strategies including:

• Toxic Work Culture & Power Imbalances
• Bullying
• Harassment Policies
• De-escalation Tactics
• Examples of Good Leadership

Watch the full podcast below, or on Karen Kelly’s YouTube channel.

How do you prevent conflict in the workplace from boiling over into an altogether toxic environment? Here are two articles that address these topics:

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How To Recognize The Warning Signs Of A Toxic Workplace

Research shows that a toxic workplace can lead to depression, substance abuse, and health issues. If you are starting to feel like workplace problems are affecting you negatively, it might be time to reevaluate.

Read the full article on Forbes

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The 7 Conflict Styles Of People You Argue With At Work

Disagreeing with co-workers is inevitable in any job. It’s normal and even encouraged in some situations to clash with colleagues in order to get the best work done. But not all of us have the right tools to do it thoughtfully. Some of us can get aggressive, manipulative or all too silent.

Read the full article on the Huffington Post

These two recent articles on mediating workplace sexual harassment and preventing violence and harassment in the workplace caught our attention:

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Mediating Workplace Sexual Harassment: The Road Less Taken

A claim of workplace sexual harassment involves more than two parties: the complainant, the alleged harasser and the employer, each bringing different interests to the table. However, one common factor that all fear is the hideousness of these claims. 

Read the full article on Mediate

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Bill C-65: Importance of violence and harassment risk assessment

When establishing programs for the prevention of violence and harassment, organizations must consider all the hazards and related risks that could lead to workers experiencing violence or harassment.

Read the full article on Talent Canada

Workplace assessment is an important early step in resolving conflict, but how do you get started? Here are two articles we wanted to share to help you prepare for the assessment process:

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Workplace assessments: what you need to know

Janice Rubin, co-founder of Toronto law firm Rubin Thomlinson, says workplace assessments can be an invaluable tool to identifying inappropriate behaviour before it becomes a legal issue. Here, she explains exactly what they are and why HR professionals should adopt them.

Read the full article on Human Resources Director

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What is Reasonable Management Action?

When a bullying or harassment complaint is made against a manager it is important to consider if the behaviour of the manager was bullying or Reasonable Management Action.

Read the full article on Australian Workplace Training & Investigation

When’s the right time to begin the process of improving your workplace environment and preventing issues of harassment and bullying? The answer is always: right now.

Here are some great resources we’ve come across recently to help:

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The Impact of Microaggressions – An Introductory Training

Discover techniques to minimize the occurrence of microaggressions and ways to respond when someone has been microaggressive.

View the full presentation on the University of Nebraska website

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5 Tips for Managing Workplace Conflict in 2021

How does one plan for managing conflict in the workplace in the midst of a global pandemic, presidential transition in the United States, and overall uncertainty throughout the world? What does conflict resolution look like in a virtual or hybrid workplace if it is no longer possible to meet a colleague by the watercooler or stop by a supervisor’s office to casually run something by them? Regardless of what is going on in the world, conflict will always be constant.

Read the full article on Black Enterprise

Tom Girling of Blue Mediation was recently profiled as a Member Spotlight on the Mediation Beyond Borders website, speaking about mediation in the law enforcement workplace.

Read the full article here:

Bringing Mediation into the Law Enforcement Workplace. Member Spotlight: Tom Girling

Looking for mediation tips and guides for your workplace? Here are a few great resources we’ve come across lately.

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40 Mediation Advocacy Tips for Ontario Lawyers

The 40 tips in this e-book are intended to apply to the mediation of
most civil disputes in Ontario. They are also applicable to the
mediation of other types of disputes, with necessary modifications for
procedure and practice. The tips are based on my mediation
experience as a lawyer and mediator. They also draw on themes and
topics I have written and spoken about over the last decade.

Read the full ebook from Mitchell Rose

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5 tips for effectively managing conflict

Many of us have been testing our conflict management skills recently. We are working in new ways, homeschooling children, spending endless hours sheltering in place with family members, and trying to maintain at least six-feet apart from others when we venture into the world to obtain essential supplies. Conflict can be defined as “any situation in which the concerns of two people appear to be incompatible.” Gaining self-awareness and taking time to fine-tune conflict management skills have never been more important.

Read the full article on Reno Gazette Journal

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Why Your Company Should Be Integrating Meditation in the Workplace?

I’ve been speaking with many entrepreneurs over the past weeks. Through all the conversations, one thing became clear: stress levels have gone through the roof with the current crisis. It’s understandable, and I’m tempted to call the heightened stress a result of our current crisis.

Read the full article on Inc 42

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Performance Vs. Trust

Facebook post from Simon Su

Here are three helpful articles about workplace conflict we’ve seen pop up over the past month:

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Conflict in the Workplace Negatively Impacts Wellness: Here’s What To Do About It

“Relationships in the workplace affect the culture as well as the overall quality of work.“

While a supporting and positive working environment with positive relationships can enhance our experience of work, “conflict can seriously undermine it.”

Read the full article on Allwork.space

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How to Deal with Common Issues in the Workplace

According to this piece, conflict, feeling unappreciated and sickness pay are some of the most common workplace issues.

Read the full article on HRnews

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How to find common ground when it seems impossible

A 2019 report from online education company Udemy found that the No. 1 soft skill workers need is conflict management skills. The report says that we spend about 2.8 hours per week resolving conflicts, so we’d better be good at doing so.

Read the full article on Fast Company