FAMILY
BUSINESSES
Conflicts are frequent in the small business environment, especially
when the business is family-owned.
Employees who are not family members feel like outsiders, or that
their input is not valued. Disagreements among the family members
can adversely affect the office environment making others uncomfortable.
Mediation is an excellent method of enabling participants to verbally
express their concerns and frustrations
and come together with mutually acceptable solutions.
MERGERS
and ACQUISITIONS
When non-profit organizations or businesses merge or are acquired,
a typical result is anxiety about who stays and which job descriptions
will change. Issues about consolidating equipment, policies, procedures,
sales territories and other administrative functions arise. Mediation
is a process that can help participants consider options and negotiate
outcomes that are acceptable to all parties.
PARTNERSHIPS and DISSOLUTIONS
With the number of new startups rising each month, friends or
family members who now become business partners begin their new
relationship with excitement about their dreams of owning their
own business. However, conflicts arise when there are differences
about operations, marketing and business development. Stress begins
to take over when personality conflicts get in the way and communication
breaks down. Resentment builds when the workload is unbalanced
or financial contributions are inequitable. Mediation, especially
when used early in the relationship, is an excellent way to minimize
problems that can lead to legal battles down the road. Mediation
can also be used to settle partnership breakups out-of-court.
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS
With so many non-profit organizations competing for funding and
struggling to raise funds to support their cause, pressure is
enormous on board members and their executive management staff.
Issues about agency performance and satisfying the requirements
of grant funding sources is a rapidly growing problem facing directors
of non-profit agencies today. Mediation fosters and environment
whereby conflicts can be turned into opportunities and differences
can be transformed into common denominators that bring leaders
together. |
