“In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

It should be obvious to any adult that conflict will arise somewhere, somehow. Conflict is just not completely avoidable; however, if you address it properly, there's opportunity to innovate!

When we train leaders on managing conflict, we offer a simplified definition of conflict:

Conflict is 2 (or more) ideas about what should be happening, or happen in the future.

Without different ideas, everything remains the same - we live with status quo, no changes, no new opportunities, no innovations.

Mediation is a form of conflict resolution, meaning: If two people or businesses have a disagreement, a mediator works as an impartial third party to help them find their own resolution. Mediation is typically categorized as a form of “alternative dispute resolution” (ADR). As in, mediation is an alternative to using lawyers and the legal system. So, instead of suing a person or company, a mediator can help people find a mutually acceptable resolution to their problem.

Mediation is also quicker and cheaper than the courts.

And - Bonus! Judges don’t really get into helping you craft innovative solutions!

But mediators may.

The main ways in which mediation is different from using lawyers and judges are:

• Mediation is confidential. Courts are typically public.

• Mediation is voluntary. Courts generally impose consequences if a party does not show up.

• Mediation is all about self-determination - in other words, the parties create their own solutions. In a court, a judge decides for the parties. In fact, the judge specifically states who is right and who is wrong - and I've heard judges claim NO ONE is ever happy with their decisions! (Even parties found to be "right.")

You may find mediators who are also attorneys - lawyers who recognize the fact that their unique skill set is not actually best suited to resolving all conflicts. So these lawyers get trained in mediation, but they still have their legal knowledge. Interestingly, using an attorney as a mediator does not actually provide additional guidance: Mediators are barred from providing legal advice.

“Every great and deep difficulty bears in itself its own solution. It forces us to change our thinking in order to find it.”

~ Niels Bohr

Unlike attorney-mediators, my background is in communications and community organizing. In fact, I became a mediator because mediation relies heavily on active listening skills and on enforcing power balances. With my degrees in Women’s Studies, my experience as a trainer and facilitator, and my work in community organizing, I am well-equipped to listen and guide parties to share their points of view, discuss ideas for resolution, and think through potential outcomes - even creative, new ideas that may answer the underlying needs of the people who found themselves in conflict. Moving people to a future-focused mindset is key to helping them resolve disputes, without resolving the dispute for them.

At Chantilly Mediation and Facilitation, we provide facilitative mediation services. That means we will never give you our recommendation on how a case should end. We provide truly neutral, process-focused mediation services. We help every party at the table feel heard before moving forward to brainstorming resolutions and creating the final agreement.

And when that final agreement is built on a co-created, innovative future? That’s just icing on the cake!