Outcomes and goals are key considerations when it comes to making resolutions and agreements. While these may differ from participant to participant, they are often important in creating direction and momentum which help us to know what we are working towards. However, sometimes in reaching for these targets, we look too far and too fast into the future. This may cause us to lose sight of putting into place the foundations for sound processes. Having a strong basis here can strengthen many relevant factors — foundations for resolutions and agreements can increase the likelihood of building meaningful, impactful, creative, and lasting change. This is most worthy of examination, especially in that it surfaces valuable discussion and insight for practices such as mediation, facilitation, and coaching.
We may wonder what are some essential building blocks of resolutions and agreements? I’ve come to believe there are countless foundational aspects that can be offered up in response to this question — more than the scope of this short article will be able to properly address. I therefore humbly submit the following writing in an effort to discuss some of the most important foundational pillars for resolutions and agreements.
Establishing participation and engagement:
Creating engagement is perhaps the most fundamental starting place in mediation, facilitation, and coaching. This generally begins as a practitioner gets to know parties, situational dynamics, relationships, goals, and other key factors. A practitioner does well here to leave doors open and ask questions while building rapport with a party or parties. They may further engage in a helpful back-and-forth discussion to bring about easy going communication and to gather info that tends to be productive and fruitful. There is no special or particular method here, rather, conducting conversation and allowing space for a candid interaction. This can give rise to something very important: individual and shared belief that participation will take place. Indeed, creating a strong buy-in with belief at the core provides a vital part of the foundation for resolutions and agreements.
For a host of reasons, it can be said that solidifying participation is challenging sometimes. A straightforward example is when one party may not feel or think that goals, resolutions, and agreements are ready to be addressed due to certain considerations. It is quintessential that each situation be worked through in the right time — attempting to force here may erode a foundation quicker than it can be established. A practitioner should therefore always act to encourage parties to decide directions with their own volition while providing requested guidance mindfully where it can be supportive. Outcomes that stand the test of time are more likely achieved when people are given autonomy, respect, and opportunities to strengthen trust and collaborative decision-making. Why should a practitioner not facilitate in such a manner, especially when they can always change course as needed? Continuous evaluation and adaptation are crucial parts of being an effective and helpful mediator, facilitator, and coach.
Giving rise to neutrality, impartiality, and confidentiality:
An unbiased third-party neutral may be foundational here for many reasons. A practitioner who does not favor themself — nor one party over another — works to serve all participants impartially. Doing so shows a critical possibility in the process. It can become a cornerstone of developing resolutions and agreements whereby it guides the heart of the communication process via authentically valuing all voices (in demonstration and not just with words). In their true nature, neutrality and impartiality should be maintained just as they are.
Similarly, in practices such as mediation, facilitation, and coaching, confidentiality serves as a fundamental pillar and mainstay principle for practitioners to follow. While sometimes participants may request a more candid approach, confidentiality should be offered and clearly mapped out in accordance with each set of circumstances. A practitioner should always seek to build understanding about confidentiality with participants concerning a variety of factors. Confidentiality can help to establish bridges to better communication and collaboration by bringing about trust, candidness, and integrity.
In large measure, a practitioner can find myriad value in continuously working on their ability to stay rooted in the principles of confidentiality, neutrality, and impartiality. I encourage that this be done around every corner in the practices of mediation, facilitation, and coaching. Ensuring the application of these principles gives participants a more sturdy foundation in the processes of making resolutions and agreements. It is evident that neutrality, impartiality, and confidentiality can assist the surfacing of meaningful reflections, connections, understanding, and clear sighted awareness.
Setting goals, proposing ideas and road maps, evaluating, and adapting:
Setting goals, gathering ideas, and evaluating pathways while remaining open to change is certainly foundational regarding agreements and resolutions. This pillar importantly strengthens the latter or last building blocks of prudent and purposeful agreement-making and resolution-oriented processes. Practitioners and parties may find utility in laying out all dynamics, engaging in open-ended-brainstorming, setting key targets, and bringing forward critical questions. In many years of conducting such strategies and approaches, I’ve come to reason that there is no best-fit-approach to be found here — it is rather paramount to emphasize the unique nature and circumstances of a given situation where participants are seeking resolutions and agreements. However, there are some general and significant steps to consider regarding these endeavors. Here are a few good examples:
- Ensuring that all primary and relevant matters are being considered. Conducting various strategies to invite an in-depth overview of the circumstances. A further step may entail building consensus around how the matters at hand should be prioritized.
- Engaging in creative exercises to discover possible solutions. Developing a thoughtful exchange of ideas among all participants. Thinking critically on the preceding outcomes such to compare, contrast, and synthesize goals thereby establishing individual and mutual agreement and resolutions.
- Setting clear and well-reasoned timelines for goals and subsequent tasks pertaining to the fulfillment of resolutions and agreements. Building a process which will move at the right pace such that participants can effectively gather info, consider options, and complete steps mapped out in processes.
- Evaluating whether resolutions and agreements take into account lasting change with a focus on mitigating future challenges where possible. Similarly, building in provisions of adaptability that will enable participants to employ and navigate changes — setting an enduring tone of mindful communication, problem-solving, and situational awareness moving forward.
Finalizing details, revisions, and checking-in:
After constructing the essential foundations discussed so far, insomuch that they have given rise to certain agreements and resolutions, participants can bring about great value by ensuring a final pillar is put into place: finalizing details, revisions, and checking-in. A discerning step-by-step approach here generally serves participants well. Practitioners and parties may find value in staying connected to see the processes of agreements and resolutions through as needed. For example, establishing final check-in points and corresponding tasks can be advantageous in a number of ways. This foundational building block helps us to take a step back and check if plans, goals, resolutions, and agreements are fine-tuned properly. We may also seek to determine if they are forward looking and whether they should yield relevant evaluative objectives and timelines.
It is my sincerest belief that we can unlock, create, and discover agreements and resolutions that will address our interests and needs in the highest order. I’ve found that participants may learn a great deal together as they set a course to explore and address challenges, provocations, and conflicts. Advancing towards these things thoughtfully in the spirit of inquiry often surfaces something that is absolutely amazing which we the people can attest to. This is to say that not only can we overcome obstacles to resolve and agree, but we may also find genuine human connection, peace, and wisdom along the way. A foundation calls for builders. If not us, then who shall be the ones to address the critical challenges of our time? I shall answer the call with you. I will remain resolute. I am grateful to serve alongside you.
CJ Clayton Jr.
07/22/2025
(Slight Revision: 07/24/2025)