It’s been a while since we shared a Pecan update — and we’re reconnecting with a bit of news that we think could really help if you’re navigating conflict or unproductive relationships in your workplace.
First, the news.
Ella Overshott, our brilliant Co-Director here at Pecan, is now officially an accredited mediator with UK Mediation. Adding to her 20+ years as a coach and facilitator, this immersive training (a lot of role-play, and even more reflection) gives her the framework and skills to unstick difficult relationships and create commitment to shared agreements going forward.
How do you currently use mediation?
Often it’s only seen as part of the HR toolkit — a last resort when complaints or grievances arise. It can feel quite formal, heavy, and problem-focused.
Of course, mediation can be a great solution in this context — but it can also be used in a much more proactive and positive way.
At its core, mediation is about creating space where people feel heard, understood, and supported in moving forward. It doesn’t always have to be formal. It’s not about declaring winners or losers — it’s about building shared understanding. And that can be transformative long before relationships spiral downwards.
Take this example:
A leadership team is struggling to make decisions. Meetings loop endlessly. Commitments fall through. The underlying issue? Two team members whose poor relationship and opposing opinions are silently shaping the dynamic.
Rather than dragging the whole team through a series of workshops, a single facilitated conversation between those two people creates shared agreements and positive action — which then ripple through the team.
That’s mediation.
And the great thing about mediation? It’s versatile.
It can work wonders in subtle, systemic team issues, but it’s just as powerful in more obvious, charged situations too — think accusations of bullying, or unresolved resentment after one colleague is promoted and another isn’t.
When tension is left unspoken, it festers. When it’s aired and explored constructively and safely, things shift.
Ella’s training has reaffirmed how important it is to create space for these conversations. Sometimes that means a formal mediation. Sometimes it’s simply applying the same principles — equity, safety, perspective-taking — to everyday interactions.
We’re excited about what this means for our work, and for the leaders and teams we support.
“Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
We’d love to keep this conversation going. Let’s connect on LinkedIn.
