Mediation

Details

Mediation is negotiating with the impartial assistance of someone who has no stake in the dispute. We all negotiate regularly in our personal and professional lives, often with good results. However, negotiations can be difficult to organize and conduct successfully, particularly when many people or organizations are involved and/or the issues are complex or contentious.

• What does a mediator do?
• How do I know if I need a mediator?
• How should I choose a mediator?

Mediators can help by getting a negotiation started, keeping the process organized, assisting communication to find creative solutions or prevent impasse, or helping parties to continue when their discussions have broken down. Mediation can also help establish or strengthen relationships of trust and respect between the negotiators, or terminate relationships while minimizing costs and psychological harm.