GeneveBilder

Pictures from a course for UN-officials
9-13 October 2000 at a PDC course in Geneva

Separate talks with the suspected bullies

Mediator Frances listens with careful interest to the suspected bully A's version of her conflict with her allegedly bullied boss. Confidence is built up.

Here the mediator is gently reinforcing the elements in the suspected bully's story that express (even the tiniest) concern about the situation.

One of the bullies, (played by Dylan), is audicious. The mediator (still a beginner) gets distracted and fails to detect the elements of solution that his conversation contains.

The mediator does not know what to do. An sarcastic smile goes over her face

In order to defend her position the mediator makes a mistake. She departs from her mediator role and puts tricky questions to the bully suspect.

She takes over the daring attitude of the bully suspect. The constructive leadership of a mediator is lost.

The mediator tells the suspected bully about the bad logic in his reasoning. Her arguments are right but the chances to build a shared solution are lost.
(After our discussion of the concrete occa-
sions where the bully suspect had presented constructive elements we played the dialogue again with better results.)

Group talks

After having met the alleged victim the mediator meets the group suspected of bullying. The group members are justifying their points. (Frances and Isabel are playing group members.)

One of the group members (played by Gertrud) presents a
constructive proposal

The mediator (here played by Dylan) is happy when a common constructive solution is found that could probably be a basis for a shared solution.

The alleged victim (here played by Monique) is happy when the group adapts its constructive solution to her views.
Everybody is happy. One issue remains before the meeting is closed: "What to do if some of the parties does not follow the agreement?"
Sooner or later they arrive at the concept of "tolerance"

Separate talks with the suspected bullies Mediator Frances listens with careful interest to the suspected bully A's version of her conflict with her allegedly bullied boss. Confidence is built up.
Here the mediator is gently reinforcing the elements in the suspected bully's story that express (even the tiniest) concern about the situation.

One of the bullies, (played by Dylan), is audicious. The mediator (still a beginner) gets distracted and fails to detect the elements of solution that his conversation contains.
The mediator does not know what to do. An sarcastic smile goes over her face
In order to defend her position the mediator makes a mistake. She departs from her mediator role and puts tricky questions to the bully suspect.
She takes over the daring attitude of the bully suspect. The constructive leadership of a mediator is lost.
The mediator tells the suspected bully about the bad logic in his reasoning. Her arguments are right but the chances to build a shared solution are lost. (After our discussion of the concrete occa- sions where the bully suspect had presented constructive elements we played the dialogue again with better results.)
Group talks After having met the alleged victim the mediator meets the group suspected of bullying. The group members are justifying their points. (Frances and Isabel are playing group members.)
One of the group members (played by Gertrud) presents a constructive proposal
The mediator (here played by Dylan) is happy when a common constructive solution is found that could probably be a basis for a shared solution.
The alleged victim (here played by Monique) is happy when the group adapts its constructive solution to her views. Everybody is happy. One issue remains before the meeting is closed: "What to do if some of the parties does not follow the agreement?" Sooner or later they arrive at the concept of "tolerance"