The purpose of mediation is to help people involved in a dispute engage in a problem-solving conversation with one another.
Participants interact with the mediator directly while the other party listens.
In virtually all successful mediation, the parties talk about the concerns which brought them to mediation and what they hope the mediation will help them accomplish. The mediator asks questions to identify the underlying interests of both parties and to identify the specific issues that need to be resolved for the mediation to be successful. Next, the parties generate various alternatives designed to resolve the specific concerns of both parties. The mediator then prepares written copies of the agreement for the disputants to sign and hold. Remember that your goal is to gain the cooperation of the other party in resolving the dispute.