How would you maintain your independence as a third-party neutral? The two usual approaches to mitigate the risk or at least appearance of partiality are that the disputants split the cost, or that the neutral is part of a large panel such that their livelihood isn’t materially dependent on a disputant’s good will.
For organization-internal mediations, I guess that’s not a problem, because everyone within the org has an interest in the process going well?
One version for grievances between orgs/community members I could think of: Having an EA fund or E2Ger pay all my gigs so I can offer them pro bono and have no financial incentives to botch the outcome.
Plus, I’ll definitely want to build a non-EA source of income so that I’m not entirely financially dependent on EA.
I’m assuming a somewhat looser standard than the norms for mediators generally, in light of the parties’ presumed interest in an EA-associated mediator. However, in my view, the conflict standards for third-party neutrals are significantly higher than just about any other role type, and rightfully so.
I think having an E2Ger as benefactor is probably the best practicable answer to conflicts, although you would inherit all the conflicts any major benefactor. I would probably not try to mediate any matter in which a reasonable person might reasonably question the impartiality of any major (over 10-20%??) funder of your work. Hopefully, you could find a E2Ger without many conflicts?
If you’re dependent on a fund for more than 10-20%, I think that conflict would extend to all the fund managers in a position to vote on your grants, and the organizations that employ them. So taking money from a fund would probably preclude you from working on matters involving many of the major organizations. In my view, a reasonable person could question whether a mediator could be impartial toward Org X when someone from Org X had a vote on whether to renew one of your major grants [or a vote on a major grant you intended to submit].
Some of that is potentially waivable where both parties to the dispute have approximately equal power, but I do not think it would be appropriate to waive the potential appearance of influence where a significant power imbalance existed in favor of the funder.
One challenge you’ll want to think about is how to demonstrate your effectiveness to your funder(s) while maintaining confidentiality of the parties (unless you obtain a waiver from them to disclose information to the funder(s)).
How would you maintain your independence as a third-party neutral? The two usual approaches to mitigate the risk or at least appearance of partiality are that the disputants split the cost, or that the neutral is part of a large panel such that their livelihood isn’t materially dependent on a disputant’s good will.
That’s an excellent question!
For organization-internal mediations, I guess that’s not a problem, because everyone within the org has an interest in the process going well?
One version for grievances between orgs/community members I could think of: Having an EA fund or E2Ger pay all my gigs so I can offer them pro bono and have no financial incentives to botch the outcome.
Plus, I’ll definitely want to build a non-EA source of income so that I’m not entirely financially dependent on EA.
Where do you see gaps in these ideas?
I’m assuming a somewhat looser standard than the norms for mediators generally, in light of the parties’ presumed interest in an EA-associated mediator. However, in my view, the conflict standards for third-party neutrals are significantly higher than just about any other role type, and rightfully so.
I think having an E2Ger as benefactor is probably the best practicable answer to conflicts, although you would inherit all the conflicts any major benefactor. I would probably not try to mediate any matter in which a reasonable person might reasonably question the impartiality of any major (over 10-20%??) funder of your work. Hopefully, you could find a E2Ger without many conflicts?
If you’re dependent on a fund for more than 10-20%, I think that conflict would extend to all the fund managers in a position to vote on your grants, and the organizations that employ them. So taking money from a fund would probably preclude you from working on matters involving many of the major organizations. In my view, a reasonable person could question whether a mediator could be impartial toward Org X when someone from Org X had a vote on whether to renew one of your major grants [or a vote on a major grant you intended to submit].
Some of that is potentially waivable where both parties to the dispute have approximately equal power, but I do not think it would be appropriate to waive the potential appearance of influence where a significant power imbalance existed in favor of the funder.
One challenge you’ll want to think about is how to demonstrate your effectiveness to your funder(s) while maintaining confidentiality of the parties (unless you obtain a waiver from them to disclose information to the funder(s)).