Complex Mediation (2006)

Some mediation is complex, involving multiple parties and complicated issues or dynamics requiring specialized techniques.  In this case we conducted a mediation between a government agency and a private business that involved significant expenditure of capital and long-range planning mixed with complicated regulations and budgeting issues.  Representatives from different parts of each organization met for a day in Colville and began grappling with these issues, using our assistance as a facilitator/mediator.  With more than a dozen people in the room, just maintaining order and ensuring adequate participation from all key stakeholders required skilled facilitation and adequate time.  Fortunately, the first meeting established good results and good working relationships.  Another mediation session was scheduled, but we were called by the agency and the business representatives to advise that the first mediation had been so successful that they were now well on their way toward agreement and did not believe they would need further assistance.