Media
Jeanette Bicknell, Mediator, Introduction
I made this video to introduce myself and my mediation practice.
What Managers can Learn from Mediators
Published by Globe and Mail
May 18, 2015
My work gives me a front-row seat on many different kinds of conflict. All too often, I’m called in for the aftermath of a conflict, when opportunities for a quick resolution are long past, positions are entrenched and everyday banalities have taken on outsize significance. If managers can recognize signs of conflict earlier and respond to them appropriately, they will have the gratitude of their employees and also know that they are protecting their bottom line.
Why Problems Percolate at Non-Profits
Published by Globe and Mail
May 4, 2016
People are sometimes surprised to learn that non-profit organizations are just as prone to conflict (if not more prone to conflict) than regular businesses. I discuss some reasons why.
Don't Blame Personality Differences for Workplace Conflict
Published by Globe and Mail
January 21, 2016
The belief that personality differences are a major source of workplace conflict is comforting. If all we need to do to stop conflict is to remove one “bad apple” or ensure that certain people never have to work together, then workplace conflict doesn’t seem like such a hard problem. Yet as a mediator I’ve found that “personality differences” cause conflict less frequently than one might expect.
Biography
Jeanette Bicknell earned a PhD in philosophy from York University in 2000. As a graduate student, she was assigned as a research assistant to a professor who was interested in the philosophical dimensions of forgiveness and reconciliation. Bicknell read up on restorative justice initiatives around the world, including South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Australia’s Stolen Children Project. After about ten years teaching philosophy to university students in Canada and the U.S., she decided she wanted a career alternative in mediation. Bicknell enrolled in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Certificate Program at Atkinson College (York University) and later in their Advanced Certificate Program. Along the way, she took Family Mediation Training (Basic and Advanced) and training in Circle Processes and facilitation. Bicknell began volunteering as a circle facilitator with Peacebuilders Canada, an organization that works with youth in the criminal justice system. She started her company, Principled Dispute Resolution & Consulting in 2010. Her work has included mediating private disputes (among business partners, family members, and workplace teams), workplace restoration circles, training, and workplace assessments. Bicknell has also mediated civil disputes (condominium, personal injury, employment, and contracts).
Recognition/Reconnaissance
Chartered Mediator | Professional
Canada's highest designation for dispute resolution professionals.