Mediation. A problem-solving strategy

The medical group manager is an organizational problem solver. By using the centuries-old technique of mediation, the manager can increase the likelihood of achieving constructive results from problems. Mediation is not a vague counseling device; it is a process with clearly outlined stages requiring specific skills: restructuring, development of alternatives, agreement, and implementation. The goal of mediation is a "win-win" situation in which the adversaries have been guided to determine for themselves how they can both get what they want. By cultivating the art of mediation, the manager can become a more effective problem solver and foster an atmosphere of ongoing harmony in the medical group.