This neutrality extends to the seating arrangement, mediator body language, facial expressions, time of eye contact, and all manner of subtleties. Disputants should even be ushered into the mediation room at the same time. No disputant should be a junior partner to the proceedings. While the process initially starts with the disputants seemingly telling on each other to the mediator, a skilled mediator will get the disputants facing and talking directly to each other, sharing those feelings as soon as it is appropriate. Finally, all of the above should occur in an atmosphere of trust, safety, and confidentiality.
Atmosphere helps the artist immensely.
Before you begin the first process step, there are some preliminary activities. We're just here to talk about a possible problem and to solve it before there is trouble. Introduce yourself and ask both disputants to state their names. Write their names on the pad of paper which you have divided in half, right and left, placing their names at the top of the column corresponding to the direction of their chairs. This helps you to use their correct names from the start which in turn helps you to build a trusting relationship with them.