Guide: Understanding and Answering Questions on Mediation

Why it is Important: Mediation is crucial in conflict management due to its emphasis on facilitating a mutual consensus between disputing parties, beyond the rigidities of legal procedures or authoritative decisions. It promotes a collaborative, communicative, and constructive approach to dealing with differences, thus sustaining relationships and fostering understanding.
What it is: Mediation is a process where a neutral third-party (the mediator) helps disputing parties to negotiate and reach a voluntary and mutually agreeable resolution. The mediator facilitates discussions but does not make decisions.
How it Works: Mediation involves a structured process with distinct stages: Introduction, fact-finding, generating options, negotiating an agreement, and writing/ formalizing the agreement. The mediator aids parties in maintaining focus on the issues and not each other, reframing their perceptions, and exploring viable solutions.
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Mediation
1. Define the term and understand the concept of Mediation.
2. Explain the process and stages in clear steps.
3. Illustrate with real-life examples if possible.
4. Identify the importance and advantages of mediation in conflict resolution.
5. Refer to the potential limitations or difficulties of mediation.
6. Stay on topic and attend to the specific question asked. Remember, mediation is about finding a mutually agreeable resolution, not determining who is right or wrong.