When working relationships matter. Better Agreements' provides services in training and neutral third party facilitation. Better Agreements' takes the perspective that - Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and conflict resolution at its earliest stage of intervention involves education and personal/professional development in skills of perception, cognitive conceptualization, self-awareness, and a desire to find outcomes that balance the interests of everyone involved. Neutral third party facilitation. Mediation is our most frequently used ADR process in which a third-party neutral assists in resolving a dispute between two or more other parties. It is a non-adversarial approach to conflict resolution. The role of the mediator is to facilitate communication between the parties, assist them in focusing on the real issues of the dispute, and generate options that meet the interests or needs of all relevant parties in an effort to resolve the conflict. Unlike arbitration, where the intermediary listens to the arguments of both sides and makes a decision for the disputants, a mediator assists the parties to develop a solution themselves. Although mediators sometimes provide ideas, suggestions, or even formal proposals for settlement, the mediator is primarily a "process person," helping the parties define the agenda, identify and re-frame the issues, communicate more effectively, find areas of common ground, negotiate fairly, and hopefully, reach an agreement. A successful mediation effort has an outcome that is accepted and owned by the parties themselves. ~ The Beyond Intractability Knowledge Base Project http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/mediation/