Agreement
I absolutely agree with the position of the mediator so far as the case highlighted in the video is concerned. I agree that on some instances, it is possible to be ethically neutral. However, analysis from a different perspective always reveals that it is actually very difficult to be neutral from a natural point of view. As evident in this case of this video, the mediator reflected that being a mother herself, it was very difficult for her to be neutral in the critical dead baby cases, which I completely agree with (Wakeen, 2010). Similarly, I feel that it is very difficult to be neutral in the cases of workplace conflicts.
Identification of a potential mediation scenario
In most of the cases or workplace conflict management, I have observed that the mediators are always imposed with biased influences. They have to always mindful that they do not hurt the interest of the organisation by their neutral approach (Mo & Shi, 2017). Their verdicts are supposed to yield best outcomes for the organisation. As an outcome, I suppose that it is practically impossible to be ethically neutral in case of professional mediation. At times the sense of ethics are also biased as was the case in this video.
Three Possible strategies of being ethically neutral
The best way for a mediator is to bereave himself or herself from the act of giving verdict (Zhang et al. 2018). The mutual interests of the conflicts can be best served if the mediators give personal opinion on their position, rather than directing them to act in a certain way.
Another strategy can be moral neutrality. The mediator in course of this strategy will indicate the moral prospects and the biased prospects. It is up on the management to decide what they expect the employee to do.
The third strategy is of alternative reality. In this scope the mediator shows the applicant, not the ethical way, and rather the pathways that he or she can follow so that his or her interests are best fulfilled.
References
Mo, S., & Shi, J. (2017). Linking ethical leadership to employee burnout, workplace deviance and performance: Testing the mediating roles of trust in leader and surface acting. Journal of Business Ethics, 144(2), 293-303.
Zhang, X., Bollen, K., Pei, R., & Euwema, M. C. (2018). Peacemaking at the workplace: a systematic review. Negotiation and conflict management research, 11(3), 204-224.
Wakeen, T, (2010). Pioneer Series: Being Neutral is a Myth – Video. Mediate.com. Retrieved on 31st October 2018. Retrieved from https://www.mediate.com/articles/wakeendvd05.cfm
