Resolving a conflict is not always easy, and it usually comes with a cost. When conflicts are solved with aggression and violence, people get hurt. When they are solved in a court room, the parties often have to pay steep legal fees. Alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, is a way both parties can work toward resolution together. Resolving conflicts with mediation, a type of ADR, is a more effective way to solve an issue between two parties, and the end result is often a win-win situation.
How The Process Works
When two parties attempt mediation, a third party—known as a mediator—is commissioned to help the parties work toward an agreement. Mediators may be lawyers, authorities, or impartial peer mediators. Conflict resolution is attempted by meeting informally and discussing the desired outcome with the mediator. The parties then sit together and discuss the conflict with the mediator. If a dispute cannot be resolved at the meeting, a mediator may meet with each individual party and talk about conflict resolution strategies that would result in mutually beneficial outcome
Types of Conflict
Many types of conflict may be solved through ADR. Relationship issues, conflicts of interest, disputes over ethics or morals, structural conflicts over property and geography, and disputes over misinformation (also known as “data conflicts”) may all be resolved through mediation. Everything from the lovers’ quarrel to the land dispute may be settled.
The End Result
Once conflict resolution strategies have been weighed and a resolution is proposed, each party will decide whether the solution fits their interests. Ideally, both parties sign an agreement at the end of ADR that they discussed and agree to the solution arrived at through mediation. Successful mediation achieves conflict resolution quickly, inexpensively, and without getting other authorities involved.
Getting Legal Help
As with any issue, problems may arise that may require a lawyer for assistance. Parties may refuse to agree, the peer mediator may overstep his boundaries or fail to create a solution that fits both interests, or the agreement may be defaulted on by one or both parties. Finding a qualified attorney with experience in mediation can help facilitate the process and ensure a fair agreement is reached.