When it's Personal AND Professional

Many conflicts are born from betrayals and hurt feelings. This is true even of conflicts in business or between professionals. Through mediation, it is often possible to fix the problem AND to salvage the relationship, whether personal, professional, or both.

Think about conflicts common in business. A longtime customer suddenly sues the business he has patronized for years. Or two business partners who are life-long friends suddenly find themselves poised for a court battle. Even new business relationships can turn unexpectedly sour. More often than not, the conflict has escalated more for interpersonal reasons than for professional ones.

A case I mediated a few months ago demonstrates this point precisely. Two friends were in business together and the business subsequently failed. After a time, one business partner sued the other over a long list of demands. However, once we began the mediation, it quickly became apparent that all the plaintiff really wanted was for the defendant to repay him for a personal loan. He was willing to drop the other demands if he would simply take responsibility for the personal matter.

Once this issue was on the table, the defendant quickly acknowledged it and committed to repaying his former business partner. In an instant, the atmosphere in the room went from contentious to friendly. It only took addressing the PERSONAL matter for the LEGAL matter to dissolve.

Think about conflict you may be facing now or might have faced in the past. Can you identify an emotional component to the conflict that hindered or is hindering it’s resolution? Look for ways to resolve the emotional or personal conflict and chances are the rest will fall into place.

If you need assistance in dealing with a personal or professional conflict, contact us today. We are here to help.

Barahona Consulting & Mediation

www.bcmediation.net 832-439-3581 kbarahona@bcmediation.net