ADRQuestions

Questions to ask an ADR Practitioner

We are mediators and facilitators. We recognize that sometimes it is difficult to know what questions a potential client should ask to ensure that you are getting what you need and what you are paying for. So if you need to hire a mediator for an Alternative Dispute Resolution Process or for a Workplace Renewal / Restoration process, here are a few questions you might want to ask the person/firm you are considering hiring…

1. What style of mediation do they offer?
   • Facilitative = facilitating the discussion / tends to stay out of the ‘substance’ of the mediation
   • Evaluative = more likely to offer an opinion based on their knowledge / experience especially if they have a legal or other professional background or substantive knowledge in the area under dispute
2. How would they handle people who are reluctant / hesitant to participate?
3. What type or reports / feedback / recommendations do they like to offer to the client?
4. What types of situations do they have experience in mediating? How much experience?
5. If this is a larger group situation (more than 6 people) what experience do they have in providing ADR/mediation and Workplace Restoration / Renewal processes for larger groups?
   • What is the largest group they have successfully worked with?
   • How would they change their approach from dealing with a smaller (less than 6 people) to a larger group?
6. Are they able / willing to provide references?
7. What is their description of a Workplace Restoration / Renewal type process? (If you are not sure what it should look like – download our Partnered Workplace Renewal Process™ document as a reference.
8. What process(es) do they offer as part of a Workplace Renewal / Restoration?
9. How will the practitioner select the most appropriate process(es) for this particular case?
10. Who should be involved in the process?
11. What is their approach to working in unionized environments?
12. What are their thoughts about confidentiality and any limitations on the confidentiality they offer participants? What level of confidentiality do they recommend for participants? Management?
13. What do they see as the pros / cons between mandatory and voluntary participation?
14. How do they measure progress? What benchmarks are they looking to see?
15. How will they know if the Workplace Renewal / Restoration process has worked?
16. What kind of feedback / information sharing / recommendations can we expect?
17. What if either of us (practitioner or client) have concerns about the direction things are going? The approach? How would they handle this?

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