Most people approach mediation with the best of intentions.
Because of these aspirations, it is not unusual for parties to put all their cards face up on the table and work toward a cooperative solution. The idea of cooperation is a basic principle in mediation and the focus of its universal appeal. Studies have been conducted demonstrating that cooperation as an affirmative strategy will more likely than not achieve the objectives of mutual gains for all parties. However, litigators in a mediation sometimes encounter adversaries who don't quite see things their way, and approach the process in a much more competitive and sometimes hostile manner. Under these conditions, an advocate in a mediation must be aware of strategic options that can be used in order to avoid becoming exploited in the negotiation.