A simple look at a lawyer’s job provides a good starting point for outlining why they might not be the most effective mediator. Also called an advocate, their training is rooted in advocating for, and even arguing for a particular side in a dispute. This adversarial perspective is the complete opposite of the cooperative orientation that our book describes as the key factor in the successfulness of a mediation (p. 198).
Even when we look at a less combative profession, such as psychotherapists, the focus of their training is not on interpersonal communication which is the foundation mediation. Instead their training centers around helping a single person resolve internal conflicts.
Communication majors have clear advantages over these two types of professional training. They generally have experience taking an objective perspective when evaluating messages. This fosters their ability to remain neutral throughout the process. They also bring insight to various styles of communication and may have a heightened sensitivity to the intended message. That message might otherwise be lost in an emotionally fraught delivery. They can therefore ensure that each party's desires are clearly communicated and strive to find the middle ground.
AnnaBeth,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job with your post this week. You were very descriptive and did a good job of explaining why lawyers wouldn't make good mediators. Lawyers are definitely more prone to leaning a certain way while in court and I really enjoyed your description of this. You also did a good job with the description regarding psycho therapists. They tend to focus on the victims and help them solve their own conflicts. I agree with all of your points stating why communication majors make good mediators. Being neutral during different situations and hearing both sides makes it easier for the two parties to find a middle ground. Great post.
This was a great post and you made a lot of amazing points. My favorite part is when you spoke about physiotherapist. Yes they deal with conflicts but I really liked how you brought up how they only deal with internal conflict. I hope as time goes on we do talk about internal conflicts and how we can deal with them. It is very true that communication majors have objective perspectives. We all do need to have an open mind and take into consideration more than just one possible way of resolving an issue. This was a great post and has really got me thinking a lot more.
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