Shiv Martin's Blog

Complaints handling isn’t just about compliance, it’s about psychology. Small language choices can transform frustration into trust. Explore how the CURE framework, neuroscience, and practical strategies help complaints teams manage difficult conversations with clarity, empathy, and confidence.

Hybrid workplaces bring flexibility but also unique conflict challenges. From misinterpreted emails to Zoom fatigue, leaders need new approaches to old problems. Mediation skills; adapted for online and blended teams, help prevent disputes, strengthen trust, and create a healthier workplace culture.

Mediation is not a quick fix - it’s a reset. What happens after mediation determines whether agreements hold or old patterns return. This article explores why mediation aftercare, clear follow-up conversations, accountability, and emotional awareness are essential for sustainable workplace conflict resolution.

Across Ombudsman, tribunal, and regulatory bodies, mediation is frequently mislabelled as a regulatory tool, creating confusion, role drift, and unrealistic expectations. This article explains why mediation does not sit comfortably within regulatory systems, why conciliation does, and how accurate process definition strengthens fairness, trust, and compliance in dispute resolution practice.

Entrenched views are one of the toughest challenges in mediation and conciliation, but they’re rarely about stubbornness alone. In this article, mediator and conciliation trainer Shiv Martin explores the psychology behind impasses and shares practical strategies for shifting stuck positions through safety, trust, and process clarity.

Discover why conflict resolution skills are essential for grassroots and community organisations. Learn how early intervention, communication and free workshops can strengthen teams and culture.

Conciliation is the quiet achiever of dispute resolution. Drawing from Ombudsman models, this article explores how organisations can use conciliation to build trust, improve fairness, and manage workplace conflict effectively. Learn key lessons and practical tips for leaders, HR, and complaints teams.

Why do leaders struggle with challenging workplace conversations? This guide explores the common mistakes managers make when avoiding conflict and offers proven strategies to handle workplace bullying, performance issues, and team tension with clarity and confidence. Practical tips for HR, mediators, and leaders included.

As the year wraps up, many HR professionals, managers, and staff step into high-stakes conversations about roles, pay, or performance. But one common mistake can derail these discussions: “going high.” This blog explores why inflated opening offers trigger defensiveness and how interest-based negotiation leads to trust, clarity, and sustainable outcomes in modern workplaces.

In my recent 3.5-hour workshop on trauma-informed mediation, I explored how neuroscience, psychology, and practical frameworks can transform conflict work. Trauma affects how people communicate, respond to stress, and engage with authority and without awareness, even well-intentioned processes can cause harm. By tailoring evidence-based training for public sector dispute resolution teams, I help practitioners build safety, trust, and empowerment into every stage of mediation

How can leaders handle intergenerational conflict in the workplace? From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, each generation brings unique values, communication styles, and expectations. This guide explores strategies for HR and managers to reduce friction, foster collaboration, and transform generational diversity into team strength.

Words carry power in conflict. The way we phrase a question can either build trust or trigger defensiveness. In this blog, Shiv Martin explores how neuroscience, language, and communication strategies transform high-stakes conversations - plus practical tips for leaders, HR teams, and mediators.