Choosing Your Own Path
It's been a while, but ...
Today was small claims Friday for me!
I typically show up at the local small claims court one Friday a month, but between the holidays and being sick with covid for the second time, I had not attended court since October (it’s February). No need for fear, though - mediation is a little like bike riding. Ok, maybe not, but I remembered every bit of my legally-required orientation.
And yes, I do a version of the same information in all private cases - because people always deserve to know what to expect.
It’s typical to get one mediation case per mediator, and occasionally a mediator may get a second case.
Well, today, I mediated THREE cases!
This is unusual. First, because there often aren't that many cases interested, and second, because often after 2 cases (or even 1) I'm spent. I want to mediate at my best, not from an exhausted mind. In this case, I could take on the third case because I got a short break in between - to satisfy both biological needs and my need for a mental break.
The best part is: We got 3 mediated agreements, with the presiding judge happily signing approval (another issue that does not come up in private cases).
In 2 of these 3 cases, it was a simple matter of working out a payment plan - and it feels so good to help people avoid judgments based on an inability to pay.
In some ways these cases are different from my private workplaces cases. The main issue in these lawsuits is always money.
Of course, there are certainly private cases in which the main issue is money - however as nearly all of Chantilly Mediation and Facilitation’s mediation work is with employees, we tend to focus more communication and work structure.
Yet, even in small claims cases …
It's about so much more than money!
People bring things up about comments, text messages, slurs. People share a thing that happened 3 years ago, and then say it doesn't matter - of course it does! You brought it up! Yet they know there is no legal issue there. That's probably part of why they chose mediation to begin with.
Mediation provides an opportunity to widen the conversation - to open up topics that the judge will shut down because they are not related to the legal issue at the core of the lawsuit.
And the best part about mediation in the legal context is: Mediators can help you decide on just about anything you want.
A judge will decide who’s right and who’s wrong - and sometimes even the people told they’re right still aren’t happy with the decision.
A mediator will walk through where you are now, how you got there, and where you want to be - and help you brainstorm and/or negotiate (often both!) how you’re going to get to where you want to be.
No matter whether it's private or public, workplace or not, mediation gives you:
💖 The opportunity to be heard.
💖 The opportunity to decide YOUR OWN Path forward - no right vs. wrong, just an assessment of where you both are now, and where you want to be, and how you'll get there.
When you choose mediation, you’re choosing self-determination - no matter what the larger circumstances may be.