Laraine Ashpole started her career in government almost 30 years ago and quickly became the go-to person for the toughest disputes. That led her to seek formal training in negotiation and mediation.
She went on to become a Chartered Mediator with the ADR Institute of Canada and a Registered Roster Member with Mediate BC. She currently works as a Conflict Management Consultant with the BC Public Service and operates a private practice focused on workplace dispute resolution.
That’s why we’re thrilled to welcome Laraine as an instructor in Kompass’s mediation program! Keep reading to learn more about her unique perspective and what she brings to the classroom.
Q. Laraine, can you tell us about your education and professional background in ADR?
Laraine: I’ve been working in the BC Public Service for 27 years. There, I got to be known as the person who got the tricky client, the tricky stakeholder, the tricky employee.
I already had a master’s in leadership and training from Royal Roads University and I really wanted to focus on dispute resolution. So I attended the Justice Institute of BC and did their third-party mediation and negotiation certificates.
From there I joined ADRBC and ADRIC and became a Qualified Mediator (Q.Med), then a Chartered Mediator (C.Med). I moved into the role of coaching for their mediation program and have been doing that for about six years now.
I live in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island where I have a workplace conflict resolution practice. I do conflict coaching and mediation and facilitated conversations.
Q. How did you first get interested in mediation and conflict resolution?
Laraine: It was just by virtue of the work I was doing in the public service. I started in what they now call social development and poverty reduction; basically, income assistance.
I was working in really difficult times. There were a lot of program changes, and I was experiencing conflict with clients and employees. I worked in Port Alberni, which has a large First Nations community, so I was doing a lot of work facilitating conversations with community stakeholders. There was a lot of conflict embedded in the work. Complaints, grievances, appeals, and investigations were the processes used to address disputes. I always had this belief that there had to be a better way to resolve conflict other than through the formal processes available.
Q. What would you say are the most important skills for a successful mediator?
Laraine: Curiosity is an important one. You demonstrate this by asking probing questions and facilitating understanding. The ability to stay neutral and aware of your own bias is essential.
Being able to build trust and rapport is also key. I spend a fair bit of time in my pre-mediations working to build confidence in myself and the process.
Q. You specialize in workplace dispute resolution. Would you say this is a growing area?
Laraine: It’s huge. That’s partly because we’re moving away from these formal processes that we know are costly in terms of money, health, and time.
We’re seeing more requirements to attempt alternative dispute resolution before using formal processes. A good example is the BC government, which just came out of provincial job action. Stronger language has been written into collective agreements requiring that informal processes be explored prior to formal investigations or complaints. My role at the Conflict Management Office supports this important shift.
Q. Are there any myths about mediation that you’d like to bust?
Laraine: There’s a myth that workplace mediation is easier than family mediation. And I’m here to tell you that it’s not.
I’ll give you an example. I work in a small community on Vancouver Island. I do have a couple of bank clients, universities, very large organizations that have HR departments and lots of resources.
But most of my clients are small businesses and they don’t have all those resources. You’ve got a business owner trying to make widgets, check the quality of widgets, and resolve the issues between the widget makers, right? So there’s a need for accessible, affordable alternatives to help them resolve conflict in the workplace.
The other thing about these small communities is that often, because they’re small businesses and people own them, they’re very passionate. It’s very personal. They built this business, they invested in it, this is their reputation in the community at stake.
Also, in small business, people often hire their family or their relatives or their neighbours. I recently did a mediation for a gentleman with an employee, and he said, “I’m quite happy to let this guy go and write him a cheque. But it’s my wife’s cousin, and if I don’t fix this, I’m going to hear about it at home.”
There’s a lot more complexity to workplace mediation than you may expect.
Q. What tips would you give to someone who was looking to start a career in mediation?
Laraine: Access the resources that are right in front of you. Are you a member of a strata? Are your children on a sports team? Are you involved with a community organization? Reach out to what’s around you for opportunities to introduce yourself and provide some services.
When I was trying to get experience, I worked with some non-profit boards. And that was really helpful because they had limited money and were grateful for any help they could get. I didn’t have to pretend to be someone with five stars behind my name. I could say I’m learning, I have something to contribute here, you’ve got a problem and I’m willing and able to help.
Keep in mind that mediation can be a lonely job. You’re working independently behind closed doors. It can be difficult to get those first mediations and it’s hard to just cold call someone and say, “Can I co-mediate with you?” You need to actually build relationships with colleagues and others.
And don’t get too caught up in choosing a specialty. Do that later, because you might find that you didn’t think you’d like to do family or elder or whatever, but when you took the opportunity, you really did enjoy it.
EXPLORE MEDIATION TRAINING WITH KOMPASS
The mediation certificate from Kompass is aimed at working professionals. It’s delivered online and takes 12 weeks to complete. The certificate is accredited by ADRIC and meets the basic training requirement for the Q.Med designation.
Click below to get full program details and chat live with a friendly admissions advisor. We’re here to help!
