The HR Manager's Guide to Workplace Mediation

““John Ford offers a lucid and highly practical introduction to workplace mediation which incorporates key insights regarding managing conflict, communications and emotions. Peace at Work is a ‘go to’ reference for HR managers who want to improve their organization’s ability to manage conflicts and disputes.” ”

““John Ford has written a useful and important book on workplace conflict, designed specifically for HR professionals. It offers sound practical advice, important insights into workplace conflict and the mediation process, and a unique perspective on conflict communication and the quality of ‘presence’ which we ought to bring to our work. I recommend it highly, not only for HR managers, but also for workplace mediators and anyone who would like to know how the process works.” ”

““John Ford’s conception of the mediator’s stance is pure genius, and an important contribution to the field. He approaches mediation from the inside out, which is exactly right. If there were ever a shortcut to mediation mastery – in the workplace or anywhere else – this is it.” ”

““John Ford embodies many of the values the conflict-resolution field holds dear: active listening, emotional intelligence and open-heartedness. Those traits are why he is such an effective mediator, and why he has such insight into workplace dynamics. This book, growing out of John’s wisdom, will be an essential resource for all HR managers looking to build peace within their organizations.”
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““Peace at Work is a must-read for all HR professionals who aspire to a better solution to workplace conflict and who want to add the skill of mediation to their toolbox. John Ford takes a lifetime of mediation knowledge and presents it in an easy-to-understand, step-by-step process, from opening statements to closing agreements and every step in between.””

““In Peace at Work, John clearly lays out an effective path to resolving conflict in the workplace. I especially appreciate the emphasis on how mediators should prepare themselves to impart peace by maintaining a stance that is open and present in the moment. John explains that ‘we are honored guests in the intimate lives of the participants with whom we work’. The book is infused with reverence for all aspects of workplace mediation and is a wonderful guide to the process as a whole.””

““Practical, visionary and strategic. John’s book should be a resource on the desk of every HR professional and of anyone who manages people. He leads you through the why, how, when and what to do to help people get through conflicts so they can get back to work, and you can too! Peace at Work, accessible and inspiring, can help you not only to help others resolve their conflicts, but to build a stronger and more trusting work environment in the process.””

““I have worked with John on various mediations over the years. He cares deeply about the people involved in his mediations and this is reflected in his consummate application of the skills and strategies in Peace at Work. This book is a natural complement to, and an excellent compilation of, John’s considerable store of knowledge about mediation in the workplace.””

““Peace at Work is a true guide for HR professionals. I had the pleasure of attending one of John Ford’s seminars and was amazed by his insights regarding how early recognition of workplace conflict can lead to resolution. John is a natural trainer with a sense of humor, and his book is a true testament to his gifted mediation skills. I recommend this book to anyone looking to master the skills of internal workplace mediation.””

““I had the pleasure of taking a mediation course led by John Ford. He was a truly inspiring teacher and his course proved immediately useful in my work in labor and employee relations. Many of the wise insights John shared with us in class are included in Peace at Work. HR and other managers looking for clear and practical advice about how to conduct a mediation will find it here, and will be better able to see why mediation is potentially so effective in resolving conflict.””

““John Ford’s book, Peace at Work, will help any manager or HR professional to successfully mediate conflict. Mr Ford draws from his vast personal experience and insight, as well as that of many experts in the field, in this well-written and well-organized book. He covers foundational concepts and provides a structured approach to what is an easy-to-use, step-by-step model for mediation. Complete with case-study role-plays and a rich appendix of supporting materials and reference listings, the book is a must for anyone who leads people.””

““The growing field of workplace mediation has lacked a comprehensive best practices guide. In Peace at Work, John Ford – long-time mediator and former managing editor at Mediate.com – offers HR professionals an indispensable guide for workplace mediation. My prediction is that this book will rapidly become required reading for both workplace mediators and HR professionals.””

““This book is a simple yet elegant guide for the HR manager to enter the workplace mediation experience. Its arrival could not have come at a better time for organizations that have a desire to build their internal capacity to be conflict competent. John writes with clarity and passion. His writing is based on his extensive experience in the field and his desire to demystify a skill that every HR manager needs.””

““John Ford has followed his search for peace through the legal system and across the globe. He has seen the full spectrum of conflict: international human rights grievances, corporate system design, high-conflict divorce, and community justice disputes. He has combined this experience into one book with one goal: improving the workplace. John has a highly tuned intuition for bringing volatile, seemingly disparate people into a productive relationship. His book shows the clear process for addressing workplace conflict and gives advice on handling different types of conflict. It is a gift to HR managers.””

““Bravo, John Ford! Peace at Work is a masterful library-must-have for HR managers who want finger-on-the-pulse guidance to transcend and shift conflict in the workplace. The book humanizes best practices for authentic, restorative dialogue and promotes a safer, more civil environment in which HR managers can mediate with clarity in the understanding that they are where peace begins.””

““John Ford has captured the essence of workplace mediation. HR Managers will benefit from the sensible mediation knowledge which he shares. This book fills the gaps for HR managers by providing rational and unique ways of looking at conflict in the workplace, and by providing clear and wise options towards conflict resolution.””

““John Ford’s grasp of the dynamics of conflict and creative paths to resolution is second to none.””

““In a workplace thwart with increasing conflict, more HR Managers are required to become peacemakers. John Ford’s practical guide provides a systematic approach for achieving this outcome.””

““In Peace at Work, John achieves what many people with great minds struggle to do – share their knowledge and expertise simply yet profoundly. Using language that is easily understood and concepts that can be quickly grasped and replicated in practice, his book speaks universally to you and I as HR practitioners. Thanks, John, for taking the time to write it.””

““I have had the privilege of previewing Peace at Work. Having interacted with John over the years, I know enough to know that peacemaking is innate to him, and so it comes as no surprise that this is not your average dispute-resolution ‘how to’ manual. John has produced a brilliant work which pulls together solid mediation and peacemaking theory, drawing inspiration from his knowledge, experience, qualifications and mentors. But the work stands out in its ability to convey brilliantly the intuitive side of peacemaking practice. Many could distinguish themselves in practice simply by understanding the majestic revelation intrinsic to the chapter ‘The Mediator’s Stance’. I think this work achieves excellence and I will certainly be recommending it as a resource to our students.””