Robert Creo Arbitrator & Mediator

Impasse Breaking Tips of the Month

The Moment:

I like to frame each proposal as the "final offer" of the moment and adding that it may turn out to be the concluding moment of the day, but we do not know yet how it will play out. This allows each party the flexibility to move to a "new moment" over time without loss of credibility.

Final, Final Offer:

I say something to the effect that my experience over the years is that there are final offers followed by final final offers followed by final final final offers but the reality is that the final offer is the one that is signed or in place when everyone reaches impasse.

Line in the Sand:

I say, "If this is a line in the sand, my experience is that the line has a habit of blurring or shifting as the day progresses. You can only draw that line once and be credible. Is this the line you want to etch into concrete?"

Robert A. Creo Arbitrator & Mediator