Mediator Tips
Valuing Diversity

Dealing with diversity can be a tricky issue in mediation. While pre-judging and generalizations can be useful tools, when they develop into stereotypes they inhibit one's ability to understand each disputant's interests. The definition of a stereotype is as follows:

Fixed inflexible notions about a group that block the ability to think about people as individuals.

In order to overcme this problem, we all must learn to stand back and listen without putting your own judgement into play. Mediation allows us to “hear” people and not assume they are all coming from the same place. The more comfortable people are learning about others the more empowered they feel, as they don’t feel challenged to change.

Encouraging appreciation of diversity is a good tool to remember, as by recognizing the value of group differences a common ground between disputants can be found.