Bruce Crowe Consulting

Psychological services

  • Psychological assessments of executives, professionals and employees
  • Developing competency based objective selection exercises and procedures
  • Conducting and analysing competency interviews and surveys
  • Vocational guidance, mid career, outplacement and transition counselling
  • Mediation and conflict resolution
  • Coaching and mentoring senior managers
  • Providing expert advice on occupational assessment

Case Study

In addition to services described in other case studies, a Mediation and Conflict Resolution case study follows.

Two academics were at loggerheads over what they considered were inappropriate behaviours by the other party. Formal complaints had been lodged, and mediation was offered as an option before commencing the complaints process. After encouragement, the parties agreed to try mediation. The consultant was retained by the university administration and briefed by the HR Director.

First meetings were held separately with the parties, in which they stated their positions and gave their versions of events. Also in the first meeting, the role of the mediator was explained and a protocol for proceeding was agreed.

Subsequent meetings sough to confirm points of agreement and to resolve points of difference, and eventually a reduced and clearly delineated set of demands were identified.

The parties agreed they wanted to stop the unhelpful exchanges between them and put the events behind them. However, they each had their own version of what was needed to achieve that objective. Further individual discussions led to a managed exchange of emails between the parties to try to get a resolution they would both accept.

In due course, one party became impatient and activated their formal complaint, which resulted in the other party being minimally disciplined. The disciplined party then proposed a settlement that was accepted by the university administration. This was a practical outcome to a conflict that could have taken a lot of time and resources to deal with through the formal complaints process.