The challenge

A team of HR business partners at the Department of Regional NSW set CCE the challenge of achieving the following training goals:

• increasing staff ability to run mediations while minimising and managing conflict
• empowering staff to resolve conflict in positive and constructive ways, through training in conflict management frameworks
• teaching staff how to face confrontational situations within their jobs, and equipping them with the skills to apply empathy and different techniques to deal with difficult situations when they arise.

Our solution

CCE worked with specialist corporate trainer, Eleanor Shakiba, an expert in positive psychology and conflict resolution. Eleanor customised her Conflict Management and Mediation Skills Course; one of her goals was that the Department’s staff would leave training with a plan for dealing with conflict and the ability to lead a simple mediation conversation using a four-step process.

Eleanor also put together comprehensive course materials, so that course participants could do further study and reading.

Due to challenges posed by the location and the Covid19 pandemic, CCE proposed running the training via Zoom.

The outcome

The Department reported a significant positive impact as a result of the course. Staff reported:

• increased awareness and confidence that they have a framework with which to run mediation
• the team have agreed to hold semi-regular catch up meetings to practice and further apply the skills which they learnt in the course
• the team have agreed to hold semi-regular catch up meetings to practice and further apply the skills which they learnt in the course
• Eleanor’s engaging and interesting delivery style made the session memorable and effective
• Eleanor was very engaging – even when teaching through Zoom
• the team ended the training with an increased knowledge of where and how to develop their skills in mediation, and reported that they have been doing so in their day-to-day work as HR representatives.