Conflict Resolution in Movement Building

Conflict in anti-oppression work is part of the parcel. It arises not just between the movement and political opponent (for example, between the activist and police officer or campaigner and politician) but also between individuals in the same movement.

Of course, disagreement and even conflict can be part of a healthy and productive form of internal critique that pushes movements to adapt to new ways of thinking. However, internal conflict can also be detrimental to achieving campaign goals and tear movements apart.

While there is definitely potential for the former, often what we see is the latter. Interpersonal conflict may manifest as tensions between individuals in the group that ultimately reduce individual capacity to participate, and subsequently, collective effectiveness of the movement. 

Facilitative mediation is one tool we can use to help resolve conflict so that we can build stronger movements. 

Consider conflict that starts as an interpersonal accusation - “You are a misogynist and make the workplace unsafe”.

This statement may signify the legitimate and necessary end of a working relationship. Parties may realise they are not values aligned and no longer respect one another or wish to collaborate. However, when collaboration is crucial for the benefit of the movement, facilitative mediation may provide one pathway to address the accusation and acknowledge associated emotions.

Imagine - 

Maria (she/her) works at a well known not-for-profit organisation as the Partnerships Officer. She is great at her job and loves being part of a values driven workplace. Every day she comes into the office and the Partnerships Manager, Craig (he/him) calls her ‘one of the girls’, routinely corrects minor aspects her emails, says he doesn’t like women’s footy and is unable to get a colleague's pronouns right, even though he has been told what this feels like for them a million times!

Otherwise, Craig is a well-liked colleague and effective Partnerships Manager. He has been working in the movement for over two decades, brings in philanthropic money, is great at partnership building and outside of these comments gets along well with most of the staff – including the women and gender diverse staff.

One day after he has corrected what seems like the 100th email Maria crack’s and tells him he is a misogynist. Some of the staff agree with her and take her side, others side with him. The discussion becomes about peripheral issues such as whether Craig’s use of the term ‘girls’ is just him being a larrikin, whether it’s fair he has not been stood down or whether Maria is ‘using cancel culture’. 

Maria begins to retreat from the conversation and feels anxious and upset and Craig takes extended leave. 

I can confirm as a woman, I have worked with many Craigs. Often, they have good politics overall, are generally friendly and in good spirits, are keen for a laugh, but ultimately clueless when it comes to gender and power.

The organisation knows the value of both Maria and Craig’s work. They also know how vital it is to find a solution, as the office starts to become increasingly divided, staff disengage and sick leave requests skyrocket. It’s bad for workers, bad for the organisation, and bad for the movement. 

A facilitative mediation session is quickly arranged and Maria and Craig agree to attend. The session allows each party to talk through past incidents and the subsequent impact. The mediator creates an agenda to make sure parties stay on track and have enough time to address each issue. The agenda must be agreed to by both parties and neutral enough to encourage full participation. 

For example, one agenda item may be ‘communication’. This is broad enough for Maria to say openly - ‘when you continuously edit my emails you make me feel unable to do my job’ or ‘when you call me a girl, you make me feel small and disrespected’, but also allows Craig to talk through his expectations for individual work tasks or his idea of office collegiality. (Remember mediation is just one tool in the toolbox, it cannot singlehandedly rearrange workplace power structures or smash the patriarchy!).

Options are then generated during the session to find pathways towards resolution. These may include an apology, consideration of language used in the office, or opportunities for professional development on discrimination in the workplace or assets-based leadership. For both Maria and Craig, the work doesn’t end when they step out of the mediation room. 

While the process may feel slow and onerous, if we try there is a chance that our movements will get stronger and our people more united. 

Facilitative mediation can provide a useful conflict resolution tool to promote individual and collective well-being and active engagement in movement building.