Nader F. Tabbara
The new Mediation department
The Board of Management sets great store by systematically maintaining and growing the nass magnet company culture, characterised as it is by cohesion, transparency and trust. To complement this, at the end of last year, a new role was created within the organisation: That of Mediator. The aim of this role is to accelerate resolution processes prone to conflict by means of a special kind of mediation, and thereby foster the company culture.
In general, mediation (from the Latin for „intervention“) is identified as a structured procedure for settling conflicts in a constructive way. The affected parties, also referred to as the mediants, are assisted by a neutral mediator.
Since 1st November 2017, Mr Nader F. Tabbara has filled the post of Mediator.
Starting in 2016, Mr Tabbara has led various workshops and presentations at nass magnet, including preparing and running a workshop on sales and product strategy, preparing and leading team building exercises within our Development department and preparing and running the workshop „Sinnhaftigkeit eines Standortes in Ost-Ungarn“ (usefulness of a site in eastern Hungary).
In keeping with our IATF 16949-compliant quality management system, characterised by an effective advance quality planning process and incorporating a number of activities for error-prevention purposes, we see this new mediation role as a method of conflict avoidance in particular.
Accordingly, the key responsibility of the Mediator at nass magnet is to moderate workshops and lead projects which essentially deal with changes to workflows. This includes moderating the Ideas Management Panel; the employee suggestion scheme (ESS), continual improvement process (CIP) and „Lessons Learned“ elements of our quality management system are referred to this body.
In this type of presentation and consultation, it is important to choose the right form of communication. You cannot lose sight of the objective, and you must continually steer proceedings in the right direction.
Good planning and properly explaining or defining the task are essential for this. The more clearly the objective is defined, the easier it is to achieve.
What is the objective? And what measures do we want to use to achieve this objective? These questions should be answered in advance in order to directly counter any misunderstandings that occur and formulate the task as clearly as possible. This is followed by the plan for the presentation or workshop, which is to say the schedule. This is an excerpt from the plan for the workshop on sales and product strategy.
Here is a section of the
Workshop design of the sales and product strategy:
As early as 2018, a mediation session was held in the Production department at nass magnet. Mr Tabbara, who completed his training to become a mediator in 2010, was able to successfully run the session. In mediation, it is important to guide mediants towards finding a solution collectively.
A further important part of a mediation session is the mediation agreement.
Here is an example of a mediation agreement:
Dear Mrs. / Mr. Mustermann,
by signing this Agreement, you agree to the following:
— I voluntarily participate in this conversation.
— I am interested in a mutual or joint solution.
— I listen and let others speak before I argue.
_________________________________
signature
A mediation session consists of 5 phases in total.
This is also referred to as a five-phase model:
1.) Convening the mediation session
The mediation process is explained in the first phase. The mediator checks whether the procedure is suitable for those involved. The question of the mediator‘s remuneration is also discussed.
2.) Clarification of the subjects of the dispute
This phase makes clear which areas of conflict will be addressed.
The mediants present their positions in succession.
3.) Addressing/resolving the conflict
The conflict is elucidated in this phase. This is a question of reaching mutual under-
standing of the different perspectives.
4.) Agreement
In this phase, potential solutions are worked out and scrutinised.
5.) Conclusion of the process
In this final phase, the potential solutions are set down in writing and the mediation session is consequently concluded.
In particular, this comes down to the necessary ability to manage conflicts, which ensures that the substance of the issue is dealt with and participants do not digress into secondary matters.
Clarity, determination and steadfastness should also be present to avoid falling at the first hurdle. At the same time, it calls for the flexibility to take in information and keep things on the right track to achieve the aim of the proceedings.
Even as a child, Nader F. Tabbara was very single-minded. When moving to Hanover at the age of 14 meant that he stopped playing football in Gehrden, he took up boxing instead. Within ten years, he was good enough to compete in the second national league, and enter the ring to represent Kamp-Lindfort in the early 90s. His first son was born in 1993. However, his work and studies left little time for a sport which is as time-consuming and requires as much training as boxing, so he hung up his boxing gloves.
Nader F. Tabbara
Project organisation / Mediation, nass magnet GmbH
Profile: Nader F. Tabbara has worked for nass magnet since June 2010 and was recruited to introduce the production planning module (PPC). The introduction of the KPI monitor followed two years later. The Mediation department has existed at nass magnet since November 2017 and is overseen by Mr Tabbara. All of the aforementioned mediation sessions, presentations and workshops have
been carried out successfully.
In his free time, Mr Tabbara applies himself to balancing various activities such as skydiving, salsa dancing, diving and — a recent addition — skiing. However, he didn‘t give up boxing completely, and so Mr Tabbara also leads a fitness group in a studio in Misburg (Hanover) which meets on a weekly basis for pad work and sparring practice.
If you are interested in finding out more, require mediation or moderation or have improvements to suggest, simply contact Mr Tabbara by phone or e-mail or agree an appointment to meet in person.
Nader F. Tabbara
Project Management / Mediation
Phone: (0511) 6746 - 164
E-Mail: nader.tabbara@nassmagnet.de
Fact sheet
Further education:
Master of Business Administration (VWA) at the Leibniz Akademie Hannover, 1996
Trained as a NLP Practitioner, 2008–2010
Mediation Specialist (IHK), 2010
Since November 2017:
In Project Management/Mediation
Since June 2010: At nass magnet Order Centre; introduction of PPC & KPI software
Improvement & Development Leader at Akzo Nobel
Management Assistant at Klebchemie
Trained as a wholesaler and export merchant
German school-leaving qualification