Avoiding Communication Barriers in Trade Secrets Mediation in Houston TX

Trade Secret

Trade secrets mediation in Houston TX is often complex cases that may be emotionally triggered, too.  When a business owner invests in a business, he or she often puts everything into it.  If he or she believes that information is being misappropriated, the result may be extreme.  Trade secrets mediation in Houston TX can help the parties resolve their case in an amicable manner.  However, in order to accomplish this goal, the parties must be able to communicate effectively.

Communication barriers disrupt the dialogue between the parties and may even escalate conflict.  When a barrier exists between the parties, a party may feel defensive and may react negatively to what the other party says.  Some examples of communication barriers include:

  • You statements – these are blaming statements that say that you are the cause of the problem
  • Judging statements – these statements are often based on incorrect and negative assumptions
  • Self-serving biases – By viewing the facts related to the case only from one party’s own perspective, that party feels victimized and has no trust in the other party
  • Attribution error – This occurs when one party attributes some type of negative characteristic to the other party that is not accurate
  • Poor interpersonal communication – Communication of this nature may cause face-losing interactions that create a barrier to communication

Mediators know about these common communication barriers and will use various methods to help break them down.  This increases the likelihood that the parties will be able to work out a mutually beneficial outcome to their case.  At the beginning of mediation, the mediator establishes ground rules regarding the proper conduct of the parties.  Additionally, if he or she believes that the parties will not communicate well together during any stage of the mediation, he or she employs the use of private caucuses in which the mediator meets one-on-one with each party separate from the other party. The mediator can often discern the message of the party but relay it in a more approachable way to the other party.  The mediator also helps clear up misunderstandings that may be standing in the way of an agreement.