Take action to prevent misunderstandings escalating.
Your "within business" relationships are crucial for the health of your organisation. But the reality is that very few operate optimally.
“Time and again, I wish I could turn back the clock and be involved earlier. The businesses would likely come through unscathed and, if that’s not possible, good processes would guide everyone through to a tidy outcome.”
Ideally, the timing of resolving conflict should not be set by what your contract or the law says. Early intervention gives you a chance to sort issues out before they escalate into conflict that ruins your business.
Timing is critical and will be different for each potential dispute, but there is a general principle: when people are open to negotiation, they are ready to start talking. They may be some way off resolving the dispute, but sometimes what they need is an independent ear - like Kate’s - to navigate the conversations and reach a solution. Sometimes you can get a situation where one person is saying one thing, while another person is saying another thing about the same issue - that is when independent investigations run by Kate are useful.
“Conflict is an inevitable part of the human condition. It sounds counter intuitive, but you can make conflict - or the potential for conflict - constructive. Even healthy.”
Intervention does not follow a set pattern, like the more traditional mediation. It can involve negotiation, with Kate as a neutral facilitator. Or, depending on your needs, it can involve Kate investigating a matter then reporting with her objective findings and making recommendations on what to do next. Kate will guide you through a process that is tailored to your organisation’s needs. You are responsible for the outcome, without the need for lawyers.
Intervention can be whenever you need it. It’s particularly useful where:
