People in conflict tend to argue about what happened or didn’t happen. Who said what, who did what, who started it, who was right and who was wrong. That is almost never what the conflict is about. Underneath the argument, four things are running at once. Emotions that are hard to see and harder to name. Values that feel non-negotiable. Interests buried under stated positions. Needs that go unspoken because they are the hardest thing to say out loud.

This June, I’ll be in Orlando leading a 4-hour pre-conference workshop at the SHRM Annual Conference, the largest gathering of HR professionals in the world. (Oprah’s keynoting this year, and I’m excited!) My session is called “From Fixer to Facilitator: Mediation Skills Every HR Professional Can Use.” And the title says everything about why I proposed it.

I recently joined Dr. Lee Sharma on her podcast, Scalpel and Sword: Conflict and Negotiation in Modern Medicine, to discuss something most healthcare leaders know but rarely address: unresolved conflict is quietly destroying your teams, burning out your staff, and harming patient outcomes.

Workplace Dispute Resolution for Teams and Managers

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