Our Philosophy

We believe that …

• Uncontrolled problems become dangerous disputes.
• Dangerous disputes become disastrous conflicts.

And that for every problem:

• Optimal solutions can be developed, accepted and implemented.
• Optimal solutions are only generated and developed through conscious processes – they don’t just happen through chance, neglect or avoidance.

For commercial problems:

• The satisfaction of a short term win, when achieved purely through power, money or guile, is eventually destroyed through long term loss of reputation, status, self esteem and staff / customer loyalty.

For relationship-based problems:

• A collaborative (interest-based) approach always produces a better result than an adversarial (conflict-based) approach.
• Many relationship-based problems become so personal they can only be resolved with expert third party intervention – usually delivered through mediation.  "It’s a foolish physician who tries to heal him/her self".

For all problems:

• Conventional legal/professional responses can resolve issues, but they rarely cure underlying causes.  Specific issues and problems may be fixed, but ongoing relationships and the possibility of future dealings remain damaged, or destroyed.
• To achieve real and final closure, the problem’s story, reasons and personal consequences must be adequately addressed.  Positions, rights and obligations are really “surface-level constructs", or symptoms, that may be important, without being fundamental.
• “No” is usually negotiable - most situations can be improved through competent negotiation – you just need to find somewhere to start.

For “impossible” problems:

• There is no such thing.  We work to eliminate the impossible – what is left is then “possible” - and we can work with that!  (apologies to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle).

If you have a serious problem, where “serious” means anything from “serious to you” (and the business / people / family you care about), to significant $$$$s, you should be talking to us about Dispute Solutions.