As a collaborative process, there are a variety of things parties can do to help create the most benefit from their mediation session. Following are tips that disputing parties and mediators can do to assure your mediation is successful.

Tips for Disputing Parties

1. Come Prepared: Understand the key issues and your goals. Being clear on what you want to achieve helps guide the mediation process.
2. Open Mindset: Be willing to listen and consider the other party’s perspective. Flexibility and openness to compromise are essential.
3. Active Participation: Engage fully in the process. Share your thoughts and concerns openly and honestly.
4. Manage Emotions: Try to keep emotions in check. While it is important to express feelings, staying calm helps maintain a productive dialogue.
5. Focus on Interests, Not Positions: Look beyond stated positions to understand the underlying needs and interests. This fosters creative solutions that satisfy both parties.
6. Respect the Process: Follow the mediator’s guidance and the established ground rules. Respectful communication ensures a smoother mediation.
7. Stay Patient: Mediation can take time. Be patient and persistent, keeping the end goal of resolution in mind.
8. Seek to Understand: Try to understand the other party’s viewpoint. This builds empathy and can lead to more mutually satisfying outcomes.
9. Be Solution-Oriented: Focus on finding solutions rather than dwelling on past grievances. A forward-looking approach is more likely to yield positive results.
10. Agree to Follow-Up: Commit to any agreements made and be willing to follow up as necessary to ensure long-term resolution.

By approaching mediation with these tips in mind, disputing parties can greatly increase their chances of reaching a successful and amicable resolution.