Chapter 98 – Pep Talk
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"I just finished up my interview with the Sage of Destruction, Miss Planner. He's really sad about what's been happening. But he told me that-"
"Stop. Don't tell me anything, Erica. It's a breach of trust. What they said in the interview is supposed to be confidential, remember?"

Miss Planner called in a ringer to mediate the dispute between the holy and worldly Sages. She picked Erica, her longest-serving employee and the newest member of her research division's management staff. The mild-mannered and easily pressured Erica was definitely not an obvious choice for the important job of talking the Sages down. As matter of fact, she'd never even heard of the Sages before and knew nothing about their sacred duties. But Miss Planner had faith in her. She knew Erica was great at listening, empathizing, and making people feel good about themselves. And, perhaps more importantly, she knew her sweet little Erica would never make a scene no matter what the Sages said or did. She wasn't going to yell or interrupt or argue or try to get her way. She was just going to listen to the Sages talk, nod, smile, and say "thank you" when they were done.

"Oops! I'm sorry. I should have remembered..."
"It's okay. It'll probably all come out in the mediation, anyway. Thanks again for coming down to help us out with this. I know it's probably not how you wanted to spend your day off."

"Well, you told me that it was part of a manager's job to be available. And this seems pretty important. So..."
"You're doing a great job. Really. I'm glad we can count on you."

"Um... thanks. I'm curious, though, why you're not doing this yourself. I mean, you're a little more... I don't know... experienced."
"It would be a conflict of interest. I have a professional obligation to the Elders. I have to put their interests first, and the Sages know that. It's best if I stay out and let them discuss it between themselves until they ask me to intervene."

"I think this could turn into something really ugly. The Sages think they're on the verge of getting kicked out, so... they're kind of desperate."
"As long as they're willing to talk, I think we'll be able to work something out. Good luck, Erica. You can do this."

"Hold on. Wait! I asked the Sage of Hatred and the Sage of Destruction, and they both said they want you to sit in on the mediation... um, they said they'd like you to hear the truth about what's going on. I guess they're both worried that you might punish them without listening to their side of the story first."
"I see. If they asked me to, then I suppose I have no choice. If they're ready to talk, I'm ready to listen."

"I’m nervous."
"Don't worry so much. Remember, you're here to facilitate a discussion. Nothing more. Just stick to the script and keep everyone calm. Let the Sages do the talking. The only thing you need to do is to offer them the chance to express their feelings. We're not forcing them into anything."

"I understand. I'll do my best to keep things constructive."
"Are you ready to get started? You understand how this is supposed to work, right?"

"I think so... they both get a turn to tell us their side of the story, and then we explore the issues they raised one by one... then we brainstorm solutions, we come to a compromise, and then I get them to sign a written agreement. Right?”

"Yep, that's the general idea. But you forgot the most important part. You have to set ground rules and make sure they get enforced. If you don't enforce the rules they'll just go on and on about whatever comes to mind, and it'll end up being a disaster. Make sure they agree to speak respectfully, no interruptions allowed. Make sure they follow the format. And make sure you give them both equal time to speak. Mutual respect leads to mutual understanding. We want everyone to feel comfortable with the way we do this, we want to avoid a fight, and we don't want anyone to lose their jobs. We want this to work. Got it?"

"I got it. But, um, you know, I've never been involved in a workplace mediation before. So I'm not really sure what to expect."

"I'll tell you what you can expect. When they start telling you their side of the story, right after you say interruptions aren't allowed...   they're going to try to interrupt each other. It's very difficult, psychologically, to just sit there and ignore it when someone's saying something negative about you. So I'd advise you to enforce the rules as soon as the situation calls for it. If they start to talk over each other, you should cut them off. They probably think you're not going to be that strict, so prove them wrong."

"You'll help me, right?"

"I'll be there, but I can't help you. I'm not going to join the conversation unless one of Sages asks me to. I'll listen and observe. But I won't be making any decisions, and you shouldn't be deciding anything either. The Sages need to be the ones to resolve this. Don't let your emotions get the better of you. Keep an open mind, be objective, and stay calm. That's the best advice I can offer you."

"Okay. I think I can do that."
"Are you ready?"

"Yeah..."
"All right, Erica. I’ll go get the Sage of Destruction and we can get started.”

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