Michele Berry Director Charis Consultancy Charis Consultancy, 2016 - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Michele Berry Director Charis Consultancy

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Exploring and understanding application of

transformational learning for adults

 Identify the application of transformational

learning in transformational mediation

 Identify how to work in the transformational

space with the parties in workplace mediation interventions

 Explore personal and professional

transformations for practice in this mode of working in mediation

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Aimed at resolving specific disputes between

parties

 Key elements of practice – direction,

judgement, evaluation and opinion

 Arriving at a mutually acceptable solution to

the immediate, short term problem

 Reaching settlement  Mediator normally plays a directive, active

role in guiding this process

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Short termism  Quick fix – will it be long-lasting  Problem solving – double loop learning only

(knowledge and skills – not attitudinal)

 Directive by the mediator – could be subtly

• r directly engaging in activities that drive,

determine or impose both the defintion of the problem and its solution

 Settlement not “owned” by the parties with

a deep level of commitment for change

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Fundamental change in one’s personality

involving the resolution of a personal dilemma and the expansion of consciousness resulting in greater personality integration (Boyd & Myers 1988)

 Transformative when there is a radical

change in one’s cognitive, emotional and/or spiritual way of being.

Charis Consultancy, 2016

“Experiencing a deep, structural shift in the basic premises of thought, feelings and actions. It is a shift of consciousness that dramatically and irreversibly alters our way of being in the world. Such a shift involves our understanding of

• urselves and our self-locations; our relationships

with other humans and with the natural world; our understanding of relations of power in interlocking structures of class, race and gender; our body awareness, our visions of alternative approaches to living; and our sense of possibilities for social justice, peace and personal joy” (O’Sullivan 2003)

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 TL is the expansion of consciousness through the

transformation of basic worldview and specific capacities of the self

 TL is facilitated through consciously directed

processes such as appreciatively accessing and receiving the symbolic contents of the unconscious and critically analysing underlying premises

 TL fundamentally questions or reorders how one

thinks or acts. Reflection alone not enough, needs to have “critical reflection” – a recognition and analysis

• f taken-for-granted assumptions

 A criticism of Mezirow’s TL theory is its emphasis on

rationality and/or giving too much importance to “critical reflection”

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 The learning process whilst rational on some

levels, is a profound experience that can be described as a spiritual or emotional transformation as well

 To press the “undo” buttons on our attitudes

can be painful and emotional as these have been developed as a way to cope with make sense of “our” world.

 TL therefore requires taking risks and a

willingness to be vulnerable and have attitudes/assumptions and behaviours challenged

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 All or nothing thinking  Jumping to conclusions  Overgeneralising  Making a mountain out of a molehill  Emotional reasoning  Should statements  Taking things personally  Wishful thinking  Mental filter – discounting the positive

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Instrumental Learning

 Acquire skills and

knowledge

 Mastering tasks  Problem solving

skills

 Manipulating the

environment i.e. the “how” and the “what” Transformative Learning

 Perspective

transformation

 A paradigm shift  Critically examine our

prior interpretations and assumptions and form new meaning i.e. the “why”

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 An experience which does not fit within a

person’s pre-existing meaning structure e.g.

 A life crisis  Major life transition  Accumulation of experiences

 Can be epochal (all at once) – “Ah-ha” or

“Lightbulb on” or incremental, a gradual recognition over time of a disconnect between our meaning structure and our environment

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 A disorienting dilemma occurs  A self examination occurs with feelings of

guilt or shame

 A critical assessment of social, cultural,

psychological assumptions

 Recognition that one’s discontent and the

process of transformation are shared and that others have negotiated a similar change

 Exploration of new roles, relationships,

behaviours, actions

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Planning a course of action  Acquisition of knowledge and skills for

implementing the change

 Provisional trying of new roles/behaviours  Building of competence and self-confidence

in new roles, relationships, behaviours

 A reintegration into one’s life on the basis of

conditions dictated by one’s perspective

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Occurs infrequently but is achieved through

• 1. Disorienting dilemma
• 2. Critical reflection
• 3. Rational dialogue
• 4. Action

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Use of narratives and story-telling  One to one interaction (coaching, reflective

learning space)

 Creating a “sacred” learning space and

fostering the contemplative mind

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Establish an environment which builds trust

and care; facilitate a sensitive relationship

 To live as authentic self, demonstrating a

personal willingness to learning and change

 Assist individual in becoming aware and

critical of his/her assumptions – their own as well as others!

 Redefining from different perspectives. Use

controversial statements or positioning

• pposing points of view

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Create opportunity to effectively participate

in discourse – especially assessing beliefs, feelings, values and attitudes.

 Encourage autonomous thinking and critical

reflection:

 Metaphor questioning – “clean language”

approach

 Concept mapping – mindmaps, genograms,

network analysis

 Consciousness raising  Life histories  Repertory grids – giving meaning to own

experience using scaling and categorising

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Sense

• f self

What is important What is true Capabilities & Competencies Actions and approaches Contexts Purpose

“Mediation’s greatest value lies in its potential not only to find solutions to people’s problems but to change people themselves for the better, in the very midst of conflict.”

(Bush and Folger, 2004)

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Primary goal is to foster the parties

empowerment and recognition, enabling them to approach their current problem, as well as later problems, with a stronger, more

• pen view.

 Achieving empowerment and recognition is

assessed independently of any particular

• utcome of the mediation. This avoids

mediator directiveness as used in problem solving mediation. The parties have the responsibility.

 Best suited for ongoing relationships and

contexts

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Enabling the parties to define their own

issues, seek solutions on their own

 Increasing the skills of both parties to make

better decisions for themselves

 “The restoration to individuals of a sense of

their own value and strength and their capacity to handle life’s problems … gaining greater clarity about their goals, resources,

• ptions and preferences … making their own

clear and deliberate decisions”

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Enabling the parties to see and understand

the other’s point of view, perspective and experiences – to understand how they define the problem and why they seek the solution that they do

 Something one gives not just something one

gets

 Acknowledging one’s adversary as a human

being with his or hero own legitimate situation and concern

 Shift from self-absorption to recognition

Charis Consultancy, 2016

1.

ATTEND - pay close attention, listening with intent, micro-focus on the unfolding dialogue to identify opportunities for empowerment and recognition as they arise

2.

MONITOR – think before intervening, to check own intentions for intervening, maintaining a transformative purpose and not a directive or leading purpose

3.

RESPOND – when appropriate, respond to

• nly support the parties’ own efforts to

make empowerment and recognition shifts

Charis Consultancy, 2016

1.

REFLECTING

2.

SUMMARISING

3.

CHECKING IN

4.

STAYING/BACKING OUT

Charis Consultancy, 2016

1.

Opening statement – mediator’s role explained and the objectives of the mediation as being focused on empowerment and recognition

2.

Leaves the responsibility for the outcomes with the parties

3.

Is non-judgmental about the parties’ views and decisions

4.

Has an optimistic view of the parties’ competence and motives

5.

Allows and responds to parties’ expression

• f emotions

Charis Consultancy, 2016

6.

Allows for and explores parties’ uncertainty

7.

Remains focused on what is currently happening in the mediation setting

8.

Responds to parties’ statements about past events

9.

Realises that conflict can be a long term process and that mediation is one intervention in a longer sequence of conflict interactions

• 10. Feels and expresses a sense of success when

empowerment and recognition occur, even in small degrees. A lack of settlement is not seen as a “failure”

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Charis Consultancy, 2016

WHAT? SO WHAT? NOW WHAT?

REVIEW AND REFLECTION

• THINKING: What are the most important ideas I’ve

heard? What’s my evaluation of these ideas?

• FEELING: How do I feel about what I’ve learned

during this session?

• DOING: How can I use this new knowledge? What

will I do differently in the future?

)

Charis Consultancy, 2016

Contact details: Michele Berry MBA, Chartered FCIPD, CMgr FCMI MIC, FInstLM

LRA Arbitrator, Independent Appeal Chair, Certified Mediator, Executive Mentor/Coach, Workplace Investigator, HR Consultant

Director, Charis Consultancy Tel: 004428504871 Mobile: 00447808137622

Charis Consultancy, 2016

 Boyd, R. D & Myers, J.G. “Transformative Education”. International

Journal of Lifelong Education 7, no. 4 (October-December 1988): 261-284

 Bush, R.A & Folger, J.P

. (2005). The Promise of Mediation: The Transformative Approach to Conflict (Revised ed.) San Francisco, California: Jossey-Bass

 Folger, J.P

., Bush, R.A., & Della Noce, D.J. (Eds). (2010). Transformative Mediation: A sourcebook – Resources for conflict intervention practitioners and programs. New York: Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation

 Mezirow, J and Associates (1990). Fostering Critical Reflection in

Adulthood: A Guide to Transformative and Emancipatory Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

 Mezirow, J (1991). Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San

Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

 Mezirow, J (2000). Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives

• n a Theory in Progress. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

 O’Sullivan, E (1999). Transformative Learning: Educational vision for

the 21st Century. Toronto, Canada, Canada: University of Toronto Press Inc.

Charis Consultancy, 2016