Ushering in the New Wave of Conflict Resolution: Tulane University’s Restorative Approach
“Even when we are working effectively within a community,
we can always do better.”
Lorig Charkoudian, Executive Director at Community Mediation Maryland
Conflict is an inevitable part of our lives that arises out of disagreements between individuals when they perceive a threat to their needs. The ability to handle conflict effectively is not necessarily intuitive; however, conflict resolution skills can be developed with the right training. Tulane University’s Office of Human Resources and Institutional Equity (HRIE) has introduced a comprehensive conflict-resolution program that focuses on empowering participants with conflict competence and equipping them with the tools and strategies needed to address conflicts constructively.
Conflict competence is the ability to effectively navigate and manage conflicts in a productive manner. It involves developing and utilizing a range of cognitive, emotional and behavioral skills to address conflicts in ways that lead to productive outcomes while minimizing harm or escalation. This can lead to improved relationships, creative solutions and lasting agreements for addressing current and future challenges.
Conflict competence … involves developing and utilizing a range of cognitive, emotional and behavioral skills to address conflicts in ways that lead to productive outcomes while minimizing harm or escalation.
This proactive approach to conflict resolution is the reason Tulane’s program has been so successful since its inception. The program creates positive opportunities for Tulane’s faculty and staff to engage in difficult conversations, ensuring that everyone’s perspectives are heard and understood. By fostering a common foundation, it paves the way for healthy and civil working relationships to progress. Over the years, Tulane has expanded the program, offering a comprehensive suite of services. They have also adapted the delivery method of services during the pandemic. Currently, they are in the process of implementing a new program component called restorative practices.
Comprehensive Services
Tulane employees can choose from a variety of conflict resolution services.
- Consultations allow employees to learn about the conflict resolution program and services offered. Participants may use this time to ask questions and share their situation, as well as determine if the program is a good fit for them. This is also a time to decide how they would like to proceed. However, employees may also take more time to consider their options.
- Coaching supports employees interested in doing a deeper dive into the challenges they are personally experiencing in a one-on-one setting with a Tulane University Certified Leadership and Resilience Coach.
- Mediation brings together two or more employees involved in an early-stage or ongoing conflict. It creates space for employees to share openly and honestly, while clearing up misunderstandings and disagreements. All sessions are led by a certified mediator.
- Facilitative conversations are informal, structured conversations with two or more employees. Sessions are led by a professionally trained conflict-resolution specialist.
To ensure the Tulane community was informed about these services, the conflict resolution specialist held informational sessions for departments and teams across campuses. This included an educational campaign to highlight the program and services through presentations made during Tulane’s annual professional development day, and departmental meetings and training. However, before the program could be fully launched, it was abruptly halted due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Switching Gears and Going Virtual
Like many institutions, Tulane was concerned about how the pandemic would affect the workplace and what future conflicts might arise due to the new work environment. The Conflict Resolution (CR) team, led by a professionally trained certified mediator, strategized about the conflict resolution needs of staff, faculty and leaders in a remote environment. The first step was to think through the program delivery options at hand, which were limited. The initial and foremost consideration was to suspend in-person mediation sessions due to the inability of participants to meet in person, as mediation traditionally necessitates. Historically, a fundamental aspect of the work has been to bring participants together at the table. However, when the possibility of gathering in the same room was no longer feasible, it appeared that proceeding with sessions would be impossible.
The next consideration involved exploring the possibility of conducting fully virtual sessions. Although virtual platforms had been used for mediation, those sessions traditionally involved at least one participant being physically present with the mediator, which presented challenges. Additionally, ensuring privacy and confidentiality became a concern with fully remote sessions. The CR team also had reservations about the efficiency of resolving issues without in-person interaction. Thus, the team concluded that fully remote sessions, where all participants and mediator(s) were virtual, might not be the optimal solution.
However, just as conflicts can create opportunities for growth and strengthen relationships, the national pandemic also presented an opportunity for transformation. In this light, a paradigm shift occurred, prompting the CR team to delve deeper and to broaden their perspective on the work of mediation and conflict resolution.
Tulane’s conflict resolution specialist began to connect with mediators locally and joined a national mediators’ group with the hope of working toward a shared understanding of what the field would need to survive in the remote environment, and more specifically what Tulane’s community would need to flourish. In the end, the solution during the pandemic was to transition to completely virtual mediation sessions despite having previously ruled out this option. Surprisingly, this decision resulted in several positive outcomes and was well received by the Tulane community.
- Participants cited flexibility, convenience, cost savings and a “safe space” as reasons for preferring online mediation.
- Online mediation achieved similar or better-quality sessions for both participants and increased access.
- Availability of online mediation made it more attractive for employees to participate in the CR program.
Program Impact to Date
Tulane’s conflict resolution program is one of only a few university programs across the country that offers a restorative approach to conflict resolution. This is critical because conflict continues to emerge as a top workplace concern within organizations. Tulane has reaped many benefits from this alternative approach, including earlier-stage intervention, increased employee morale, healthier workplace relationships, improved performance and productivity, and better possibilities of positive outcomes for future conflicts that may arise. To date, the conflict resolution program has:
- Offered over 450 restorative services to employees since 2020 via consultation, coaching, mediation and presentations
- Conducted over 35 presentations on various topics related to conflict resolution for employees and leaders
- Coached staff and faculty on navigating difficult conversations
- Completed over 90 virtual mediations (Although, in-person mediations were the norm before the pandemic, virtual mediation has proven to be very popular and effective. The CR team consistently receives positive feedback from participants. Even though in-person services have resumed virtual mediations will continue to be offered as an option for those who prefer to participate using this method.)
- Coached leaders on building conflict resolution skills, such as active listening, giving and receiving feedback, and managing difficult people
More on Restorative Practices
The implementation of the restorative-practices component in the conflict-resolution program is still in its early stages. Restorative practices are tools and processes used to foster, encourage and repair relationships. This approach to conflict resolution fosters cooperation, enhances communication, encourages individual accountability, and facilitates conflict resolution in a manner that serves the best interests of the community.
Restorative practices center around five core principles:
- Respect
- Building and nurturing relationships
- Fostering a sense of responsibility
- Repairing the harm caused
- Facilitating the reintegration of individuals into the community
This approach offers a range of benefits for both employees and the institution. It enhances employee retention rates, cultivates a positive workplace culture, strengthens team relationships, positively impacts the bottom line, reduces the occurrence of workplace complaints and lawsuits, promotes a sense of belonging and inclusion, improves employee well-being and morale, and boosts departmental efficiency and engagement.
According to experts, this approach typically requires three to five years to fully integrate into a community, with the initial year dedicated to community education. Currently, Tulane is in the early stages of educating its employees and involving students in the initiative. The second year involves reflecting on and refining the program, while the subsequent years (three through five) focus on deepening and institutionalizing it.
New Wave of Conflict Resolution
Conflict can be a tool for positive change when employees have the resources to build upon their conflict competence. With Tulane’s wide range of conflict resolution services and its focus on the future of conflict resolution through restorative practices, the program is helping to build an environment that is enriched by differences.
Tulane’s Conflict Resolution Program
What we offer:
- Impartiality and neutrality by listening and not taking sides
- Confidentiality by keeping conversations private and in strict confidence unless there is an imminent threat of serious harm to oneself or others
- Facilitated communication or dialogue
- A review of options and exploration of solutions
- Aid in developing communication skills
- Provide referrals
- Departmental and group trainings.
What we do not do:
- Take sides or determine outcomes
- Participate in legal procedures
- Conduct investigations
- Accept formal grievances
- Make decisions or mandate changes to policy
- Tell people what they should do.
Resources:
About the authors: Wendy Firven Smith is conflict resolution specialist, Tiffany Smith is director of institutional equity and resolution management, and Karen D’Arcy is director of learning and organizational development, all of Tulane University.