Organizational Ombuds
Ombuds is a growing profession to meet a lot of gaps in organizational integrity to bring a level of accountability. The Ombuds focuses on problem-solving, team building, mediation, conflict coaching, and restorative practice. The role of an ombuds has four parts: confidential, impartial, informal, and independent. They are embedded in the organization, but operate independently from formal roles and decision-making within the organization. They are multi-partial and do not advocate for any party or outcome. They foster fairness and equity. The office of an Ombuds serves as a safe environment to address systemic issues, complaints, concerns, and provides an alternative process for those who need assistance. An Ombuds person has a commitment to alternative dispute resolution but serves as a bridge to formal processes when appropriate.
The role of an Ombuds is a drastically under-utilized and undervalued resource for organizations, non-profits, schools in the public, and the private sector. However, that is changing and trends are shifting. Many colleges and universities, faith-based organizations, denominational groups, non-profits, insurance companies, and government agencies are recognizing the benefits of an Ombuds, not only for the organization, but also for the people.
My hope is to call to action a level of relational accountability and highlighting an organization's biggest asset: its people. The Ombuds office provides the necessary resources that assist and empower administrators, board members, managers, teachers, clergy, coaches, students, and staff.
How Can an Ombubs help your Organization?
An Ombuds is versed in the formal and informal process of the organization and can serve as a conduit for all levels of personnel and stakeholders. The Ombudsperson has a deep understanding of the organization’s culture. An Ombuds can bring people together to narrow the issues, provide a strong workplace, support personnel, provide a pathway to address issues, foster diversity, reduce litigation, support teamwork, improve performance, and advance the mission of the organization with integrity and dignity.
A close analysis, evaluation, and sometimes an autopsy of the organization can determine whether the culture of an organization is in line with its intended mission. The culture within the organization proves the statement’s substance and merit. For example, an organization may exists to restore hope in the community through property revitalization. Yet, if conflict exists between contractors and employees feel hopeless in their jobs, there is a disconnect. When the culture of the organization does not line up with what the mission claims to deliver, there is dissonance and discord. If an organization claims to provide safety, and yet employees feel intimidated or harassed, there are likely systemic barriers within the organization. How can this be resolved? How can there be a course correction from within? Far too often strong organizations fail to show integrity in line with the mission because of poor dispute resolution strategy and implementation. Conflicts within an organization can escalate and diminish the effectiveness, efficiency, mission and values of the organization.
If your organization is not making the mark and there is a disconnect between the mission and culture of the organization, perhaps an Organizational Ombuds is the missing link.
The Story Matters
“I wonder what tale we have fallen into?” - Samwise Gamgee, The Lord of the Rings.
As a mediator, I am given the opportunity to hear lots of stories. Everyone wants to share their perspective. In a mediation, each person is given uninterrupted time to do just that. This is called Storytelling. Most stories are full of conflict, confusion, and chaos. But, if I listen closely, there are often undertones of lost love or broken trust. It takes a tuned ear to listen with the goal to understand.
One of the best ways to draw out key elements of someone’s story is to ask open-ended questions. These are questions that do not have a “yes” or “no” response. An example of an open-ended question is, “How is this an important part of your story? or “Can you explain how that impacted you?” When we listen to the response, and the information that is shared, it helps to bring to light the important details of the conflict.
It takes a sharp eye to watch for gestures and body language. I must always be reading the room, watching the non-verbal communication, such as facial expressions, body language and posture. These are important windows into what is going on underneath the surface of the conflict.
As a mediator I am searching the master storyline for areas of agreement. When people are in conflict there often many things that people disagree about. Those disagreements are what cause people to get entrenched in their positions and dig their heels in. But, I am looking for common themes, values, and beliefs. What are the things that we can agree on? When we change the mindset, there is often much more agreement than what was thought or explored.
As I facilitate this process for people, I am given permission to speak peace into their lives. As I learned in peacemaking and mediation courses, just like a passport is stamped to give permission to enter another country, I am given passport to enter the story of people’s lives. From my vantage point I can illustrate that our future pages have not yet been written. A new story can be created. It can be one built on mutual respect, agreement, repair, and reconciliation.
The mediation process provides grace for people when there is little thought to grace. It also allows for space in time to have very important and meaningful discussions to build consensus and provide a pathway for people to move forward. A mediator is a facilitator of grace and space.
It is a blessing to see and hear how people respond to the good news of a new story and a new beginning.
Mediation for Kinship & Foster Care
Mediation can provide a process for people in conflict who are making important decisions about children. It is a process that can include parents, foster parents, kinship caregivers, grandparents, case workers, county workers, lawyers, community services, and the church. It is a collaborative and strengths-based way to bring relational, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual pieces together.
The Mediator
By definition a mediator must remain neutral and multi-partial. They do not advocate for any one party or person. A mediator does not represent a client, does not advocate for an agency, and does not have allegiance to other roles. They do not give advice and do not function as an expert in favor of one particular outcome. A mediator does not dictate a solution. Rather, they allow for outcomes and solutions to be cultivated from within. Mediators work to take the focus off the entrenched conflict and more toward building consensus, shared values, and common goals looking out for the interests of others. Mediators help interested parties pull in the same direction.
The Process
It is a process where multiple parties can be heard and more wholistic decisions can be made. Mediation is a voluntary and each party is provided space to contribute. In conflict, parties have mixed agendas, different positions, and various desired outcomes. Mediation can offer more timely outcomes. When there is deeply entrenched conflict, decisions tend to be made very slowly. When there is stalemate or impasse it can create further harm the longer issues remain unresolved. It can take a long time for broken systems to bring people together, if ever at all. Therefore, mediation provides a way to discuss and decide the needs of children, families, and parents using a wholistic and robust approach rather than a siloed approach from a singular line of sight, professional scope, or specialization. Mediation can be an efficient option and reduce delays in decision-making and save weeks and months of prolonged system fatigue, polarization and tension.
Exceptions
No doubt there are many pressures, tensions, stresses, and factors to address. There are many issues of safety, ethics, and procedures to consider. Mediation is not an appropriate option in every situation. There is nuance. There must be awareness of complexity. Child welfare matters are highly sensitive due to the nature of trauma, abuse, and neglect. There are ways mediators build in safeguards to address the needs and cares of children. Mediation can build in safety measures, communication mechanisms, and establish a path forward for the benefit of children and families.
Look to the Helpers
The field of sociology is the study of people in groups. I have always been fascinated by how people in groups, and in our culture, respond and react in conflict. The study of people in groups as it relates to conflict is one of my life-long quests.
Several years ago I sat in the office of my friend and mentor as we talked about how people respond and react in times of crisis. I grieved what I saw around me and the state of people living in conflict. She was holding space for me to pour out my heart on the ugly side of relationships. But, she also looked for ways to illuminate hope of things yet to come.
My mentor reminded me that I am a helper. Our conversation took a silly turn when she mentioned Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Remember Mr. Rodgers? He had such a calming manner! He understood people. He taught us to embrace our community, how to live as people in our society, and where to look for the helpers. He had great sociology words of wisdom.
He would say,
“ When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Everyday there are helpers on the front lines and behind the scenes. A firefighter bravely enters a burning building to save the lives of people inside. A teacher sacrificially goes to work each day, sometimes in the most traumatic environments, in attempt to educate the next generation. This may be by a pastor who works quietly in a tiny church, pouring out his best efforts, to teach people how to love God. It might be a counselor who sits in the darkness of the human condition sees the deeper and darker things of humanity. It may be a single mom who shows up every day for her children with a smile and a hug, or a local business owner who helps their community by providing a quality service.
These people are all helping.
Mediators are also helpers. They may not be the person asking you to sit in a circle and sing, “the more we get together”. But, they are in our midst.
I can’t help but wonder in today’s toxic polarization and relationally “scary things”, if Mr. Rodgers would include mediators as “the helpers”? How could they help your family, church, community, or business thrive for better harmony?
How could you invite a helper like this into your life? Perhaps a mediator just might be the best helper to forge a path for unity and peace.
Two Questions
I am regularly refining my process of asking questions.
Asking questions helps me to have a curious spirit. This is an important trait when helping people resolve conflict. Being curious reminds me to stay humble. I do not understand the whole story. I may not see the bigger picture.
The types of questions that I ask help to illuminate the path I need to take through the forest of conflict. As I walk this delicate trail, I must know which question to ask when there is a fork in the road.
Before there are lasting solutions there must first be understanding of the issues. If there is no care for listening, it is difficult to move forward. Being curious puts me in a place of truly wanting to understand what is beneath the surface. If the root cause of conflict is not discovered, the fruit of an outcome may not be as sweet.
Every mediator has their own style in how they work with parties to get to the root of the issues. In the beginning of almost every mediation I ask parties to answer two initial questions. One at a time, and uninterrupted, each is given an opportunity to respond.
“What brought you here?”
If I am working in an official mediation I will ask, “What brought you to court?” or “What brought you to mediation?” This question helps me to gather details of the case, some key elements of the story, and sometimes a little about what each person wants.
I use this same approach when someone who knows what I do asks, “Can I talk to you?” My first question usually is, “What brought you to me?” I want to know a little about what has transpired to bring us to this moment in time. I can usually hear a little about whether the conflict is still fresh or whether it has been brewing for years. I can usually determine whether this conflict is taking a toll on other parts of their life.
“What do you hope for?”
This question sometimes takes people by surprise. In conflict there is not a lot of hope floating around. I heard a counselor once say that they "lend out their hope when there is none". This resonated with me. Although a mediator is not a counselor, this has become a valuable lens for me as well.
Usually this question is two-fold and worded in a way that asks, “What are you hoping for today?” and “What do you hope going forward?” These are in fact two different questions.
The first hope question helps me to gauge expectations for the mediation itself. It empowers parties. It signals that the situation can look different tomorrow then it does today. The second hope question serves to illuminate a possible path to a forward-facing momentum. It implies a certain sense of confidence. The message of hope says that even if things are uncertain now, there might be steps taken to bring clarity for the future.
Considering hope
These two mediation questions have been helpful in my practice. Asking "what brought you here? can be a good way to start helping people. Asking people to consider hope can be a way to introduce peace into their situation.
These questions might set the tone for a conversation, give you genuine curiosity, and help people who are in conflict strive for a peaceful tomorrow.