Many people are familiar with mediation as an alternative to litigation in court, especially in family law or other civil legal settings. Mediation can be applied to so many other situations, whether or not there are legal questions involved. Mediation usually addresses a specific dispute between parties, which might arise in the workplace, in other organizational settings or even within the family or between co-parents. In mediation, parties meet with a mediator who guides a process of discussion and, if the parties find common ground, writes a mediated agreement for the parties to keep and use as a guide. A mediator does not make decisions for the parties. Rather, they assist the parties as they make their own decisions and provide a road map for implementing their agreement.

Facilitation, which is like mediation, may not involve a specific conflict or an impasse. Rather, a facilitator can be a neutral person who leads an important or difficult meeting or discussion.This could result in decisions and documentation, like mediation, or the outcome of the meeting may be tailored to the specific situation. The facilitator will help manage and prevent conflict along the way, reinforcing the positive bonds the stakeholders share.

Mediation and facilitation can be helpful in workplace and organizational conflict, family enterprise and wealth management, elder care agreements, and in many other settings. They can be employed as stand-alone services or as part of a more comprehensive change management process.