Interview with John Drowley

How did you get started?

In 1990 I was invited to join the board of Bristol Mediation, a community mediation service working with neighbours in dispute.  I trained as a community mediator and quickly realised that mediation in the workplace too would be a good idea!  Mediation at Work was one of the very first workplace mediation providers when we established it in 2000.

What have been the most significant developments or changes in workplace mediation?

Every HR practitioner has now heard about mediation – at least the basics of it if not the detail.  The CIPD and ACAS recommend it and it’s now in their good practice guidelines.  Trade Unions encourage their members to use mediation and more and more organisations are offering their managers training in facilitating difficult conversations – which is fundamentally what mediation is all about

How do you see workplace mediation or other conflict resolution approaches to workplace disputes developing in the future?

Mediation is all about enabling people to work together to resolve their difficulties instead of relying on someone else to do it for them.  It therefore has a place in every modern workplace, especially where empowering people to take responsibility for sorting out difficult relationships for themselves is a priority.

Have formal processes had their day?

No!  There will still be a place for formal processes where a judgement is required or where a principle needs to be established.  What’s more, there are times when a negotiated outcome is just not practical.  Mediation is not a panacea.  Knowing when to use it and when not to is crucial.

What’s the biggest challenge you have faced as a mediator?

Convincing organisations that by investing time and money in making effective workplace mediation available to their staff they will save time and money in the future, improve staff welfare and morale, and become more efficient and effective at what they do.

What are the barriers to mediation being used more widely

Mediation in the workplace is at its most effective when it is used early on in the development of a dispute or conflict.  All too often it is used as a last resort and not as a first resort.  When people are well dug in to the positions they have taken up they are far less inclined to give mediation a go. It’s never too late to mediate – but it makes it a whole lot easier for everyone concerned if is available as soon as direct communication between the parties becomes difficult or breaks down.

How do you measure success?

A tricky one this as it’s quite normal for the parties, the organisation and the mediator to all have different measures of success!  For me, I guess it’s knowing that, as the mediator, I have delivered well on my part of the process – that is, being an independent, impartial third party working respectfully with the parties to enable them to create a way forward.

Is there an outcome that you are particularly proud of?

No.  Pride doesn’t come into it!  However, I’m often delighted when the parties have made creative use of the mediation process and found a mutually acceptable way forward – particularly if in the process they have restored an effective working relationship.

What is the most important thing that you have learnt along the way?

To trust the process – everytime.

What advice would you give to those contemplating or starting out as mediators

To trust the process – everytime!

Can any dispute be resolved through mediation?

I really don’t know – but I’m always willing to work with people who are acting in good faith and genuinely want to give mediation a try in an attempt to resolve their differences.  I’m convinced that the wider use of skilled, independent, impartial third parties (mediators if you will) in a wide range of conflict situations in the workplace, and beyond, locally, nationally and globally would make the world a better place to live and work in.

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