You might feel uneasy about using mediation to settle a commercial dispute. Maybe you have achieved success through litigation previously, or perhaps you assumed that litigation was the standard route to go.
Learning more can help you move forward with confidence. Here are three things you should know:
1. No one will force you to accept a deal you are unhappy with
If you go the litigation route, once a judge delivers their decision that is pretty much it. While you might be able to appeal their decision there is no guarantee you will succeed. In mediation, however, the matter is not settled until you and the other party accept it is. You can simply keep on negotiating until you get a result you can both live with.
2. The long-term result is more important than the short-term one
When is a win, not a win? When it ends up costing you more than you gain. In the heat of a dispute, it can be easy to focus on winning at whatever cost. However, that can end up costing you dearly in the long run with everything from ruined relationships to bad publicity. Mediation can help both parties maintain their personal and working relationships while still settling the matter at hand.
3. It will require commitment and compromise on both parts
No one is saying mediation will be easy. Resolving a dispute is rarely simple, no matter the method you use. You may both need to make a considerable shift in your stances, from a place where you see yourselves as wronged and wrongdoer to two people trying to reach an amicable solution. Getting appropriate help to learn more is a wise first step.