Discover the 8 best ways to improve workplace communications.

In conflict, we want to separate the person from the problem.  After all, you can't solve people, but you can solve problems.   Identify the behaviors you are finding difficult.    The behaviors are the problem, not the person.   

In healthcare settings, conflict is inevitable. When dedicated professionals working under pressure have different perspectives on patient care, treatment approaches, or safety protocols, disagreements will surface. But here's what I've learned after years working in both clinical and conflict resolution settings: these tensions aren't signs of dysfunction or difficult people. They're signs that your team lacks the structured tools and frameworks to navigate high-stakes disag

Mediation is a foreign concept to many in healthcare. So many times, when I speak to healthcare workers, their initial reaction to mediation is a picture of a courtroom and they look like they want to turn and run.  They are intrigued when they learn what it actually is.     Mediation is a voluntary, confidential process where a mediator facilitates communication between conflicting parties to help them reach an outcome that works for everyone. Solutions, not blame.

Healthcare is a high-stress, high-demand, high-expectation environment.  Conflicts are inevitable. Whether between healthcare providers, administrators, or patients and their families, these disputes can significantly impact the quality of care and overall workplace atmosphere.  Just as importantly, they impact workplace satisfaction, absenteeism, and attrition.   Mediation is one tool to address and resolve these conflicts effectively.  Let's explore what mediation is and th

Healthcare is fraught with complexities and emotions, making conflict inevitable. High-stakes decisions, life-or-death pressure, diverse teams, limited resources - of course tension emerges. But here's what I see happening: Organizations watch valued staff members leave, citing "toxic culture" or "lack of support." They see teams fracture, with nurses refusing to work certain shifts together or physicians bypassing established protocols. They know morale is tanking. Everyone

Most would associate conflict with negative outcomes, especially in the high-stakes environment of healthcare. However, when managed effectively, conflict can drive innovation, improve communication, and ultimately enhance patient care.

I spent 20 years as a nurse before I became a mediator. In the ER, I learned to listen fast. You have seconds to hear what a patient is really saying underneath their initial complaint. The person who comes in saying their stomach hurts might actually be having a heart attack. The family member who seems angry might just be terrified. That same skill translates directly to healthcare mediation, but with one critical difference: I listen to understand and ask questions to c

After 20 years in healthcare and a decade in conflict resolution, I've noticed something critical: we're often not speaking the same language at all. Each is speaking a different "language" shaped by their role, training, and what keeps them up at night.

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to overlook the power of truly listening and empathizing with another's perspective—especially in high-stress environments like healthcare. But here’s the thing: empathy isn’t just 'nice to have'; it’s essential for meaningful conflict resolution. Drawing from years of experience in mediating healthcare disputes, I’ve found that when parties feel genuinely understood, defenses lower and pathways to resolution become clear. It transforms ten

We say that conflict is normal. Anger is normal too, and it's often the byproduct of unresolved conflict. But here's what most people miss: anger itself isn't the problem. It's a signal that something important needs attention.  I’ve seen a lot of people have a lot of shame around anger.  While it is not OK to hurt ourselves or others when angry, anger is a normal emotion with information to share.

A leader in healthcare recently told me that mediation, to most medical professionals, is associated with a legal process. Mediation is far more than that....and it's a game changer for conflict resolution.The landscape of healthcare disputes is evolving, and with it, the methods we employ to navigate these challenges must also adapt. Traditional approaches to dispute resolution are making way for innovative mediation tactics that prioritize collaborative problem-solving over

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