ADR Education Determination Agility Resolution

For many good reasons, organizations decide to transfer portions of their work to outside suppliers rather than handle it internally. Outsourcing typically saves money and creates operational effectiveness.  It allows specialized work to be managed and supported by highly qualified and experienced external capacity. Conflict management and dispute resolution expertise – including mediation, facilitation, coaching and training – is seldom found “in-house”. Rather, external contractors and specialists are called in on an as-needed basis and are intended to complement the clients’ existing internal resources. In other cases our role is to support the work and goals of the organization in situations where being external can provide a different perspective and a “neutral” approach.

We at ADR Education are highly experienced and accomplished mediators.  We mediate all sorts of disputes in every jurisdiction in Canada including matters headed for trial in the Courts, workplace problems, massive inter-governmental issues, multi-party problems, and complicated technical issues.  We prepare people and organizations for mediation.  Then, with the assistance of their advocates, we take them through the mediation process, providing a framework for their negotiations.

We have a well-earned reputation for avoiding the temptation to masquerade as arbitrators. Instead, we provide the process leadership and communication assistance that is missing in most disputes.  As a result of our help, the parties are almost always able to transform arguments into productive discussion and intransigence into solutions.

Large groups often need help with difficult discussions, particularly where values differ sharply.  We work with them to provide guidance in the convening of these discussions, including public meetings, and in the management and chairing of large group events. If needed, we also meet with participants to help them develop their constituency and ideas. Our experience over many years is that the strong views of competing groups can be heard in a way that builds consensus and identifies issues for further solution.

Helping with large-scale difficult conversations and consultations are some of our organizational strengths.  We believe that people affected by tough discussions can and should be the architects of successful results to those discussions.  All they need is help communicating, organizing and effectively engaging in those conversations.

We have a unique approach to workplace health that accents the need of organizations to learn from their issues of conflict.   We enter workplaces as invited resources to help develop an assessment approach that enjoys general acceptance.   Whether the process involves surveys, individual confidential interviews, focus groups or larger facilitated meetings, our goal is to help identify themes of conflict and define them without attributing blame.

It is important for us to remain agile in our methodologies so they can be tailored to the operational and cultural specifics of the organization.   Our experience is that leaders, managers and staff are invariably empowered by our help and participate in the assessment.   As a result, we are able to make procedural recommendations which the organization can implement with confidence.

ADR Education provides a full range of dispute and conflict investigation processes.   We are often asked to investigate allegations of improper workplace behaviour.   These include accusations of discrimination, harassment and disrespectful conduct.   We engage as third party neutrals under defined processes, sometimes pursuant to Collective Agreements or long standing workplace standards.

Our work includes interviews and confidential meetings.   We will also analyze other forms of evidence as required.   The result of our work is usually embodied in a report in either official language that sets out our findings about whatever procedural help is required.   In doing this, the organization obtains the neutral assessment of experts, together with our analysis of the way ahead.

At ADR Education we strive to help our clients go beyond workplace restoration towards recovery, reparation and ideally reconciliation.

Investigation and fact-finding processes are increasingly used to address allegations of misconduct in the workplace.  Responding to complaints of bullying, harassment and discrimination using these processes is typically disruptive, complex and frequently leaves the people involved dissatisfied with the results. Rather than resolving matters and healing relationships, these results – findings and conclusions about alleged inappropriate behaviour – can intensify conflict and negatively impact workplace morale and team cohesion. We recognize that investigatory work is sometimes required but even in these cases the question that still needs answering is “how do we put the pieces back together” following the intervention?  In many cases, the people involved will still be required to work together or at least co-exist respectfully in a common work environment. Even in the absence of an investigation, workplaces often experience challenging situations and episodes of intense stress, trauma and destabilization.  It is essential to supportively address these situations to enable people to effectively “move on” and re-establish a positive, inclusive and respectful workplace culture.

Increasingly, we provide advice and assistance to people one on one.   Workplaces and professional life can be fraught with difficult communications.   So leaders, managers and staff (as well as independent professionals) often look to us for advice about how to face their challenges and conflicts.   Likewise, teams often require practical answers to how to approach tough negotiation challenges.

We meet either in person or via media as often as needed.   We provide advice on how to approach difficult meetings, how to improve communication style, how to give and accept critique and an array of other conflict conversations.   Sometimes this involves playing out anticipated communication challenges, something we are highly experienced in.

This service and resource is offered to clients in response to their need to assist valued members of their organization in developing leadership effectiveness, communication skills and professional interpersonal relations. Some consistent unproductive behaviour and resulting negative perceptions are limiting these leaders’ effectiveness and career aspirations.  Their personal style and approach may overshadow their other achievements and technical competence to deliver.  It may also have a significant impact on co-workers who are affected by the detrimental and possibly damaging behaviour.

We help organizations figure out their objectives as they head into difficult negotiations. Sometimes these negotiations are protracted. ADR Education provides advocacy services at negotiation tables for government, First Nations and in the private sector. We have a proven reputation for bringing about interest-based negotiation in situations which traditionally have been unproductive bargaining contests.

ADR Education helps organizations develop strategic plans.   We facilitate multi-perspective exercises in settling organizational Vision and Mission.   We assist with the development of critical paths that follow decisions about an organization’s mission.   We also help develop objective indicators to measure the successful implementation and monitoring of the mission.

We design and deliver leadership development programs tailored to the unique circumstances of our clients.   Our programs typically feature a mixture of coaching and executive advising, competency-based learning activities and various assessment methodologies.   We strive to assist leaders develop greater agility, self-confidence and approaches to achieving performance excellence. ADR Education is a catalyst in promoting leadership capacity building.   We believe that skillful communication, conflict competence and decision making expertise are the foundations of effective leadership.