Don't criticize either party is a step to mediate a dispute.

Don't criticize either party is a step to mediate a dispute.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not specified
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (D)

In mediation, the facilitator aims to keep communication productive and nonconfrontational, so criticizing either party is generally avoided because it tends to trigger defensiveness and derail progress. But that isn’t an absolute rule. There are times when direct feedback or calling out problematic behavior is necessary to protect fairness, safety, or the integrity of the process. For example, if a party is being abusive, making deliberate misrepresentations, or refusing to engage honestly, a mediator may need to address that behavior to keep the discussion on track. In private sessions, the mediator might challenge positions more bluntly to uncover underlying interests or to prevent stall tactics. So, whether to criticize is situational: it’s often best to refrain, but there are circumstances where it’s appropriate to steer the mediation back on course. That’s why the correct choice is sometimes.

In mediation, the facilitator aims to keep communication productive and nonconfrontational, so criticizing either party is generally avoided because it tends to trigger defensiveness and derail progress. But that isn’t an absolute rule. There are times when direct feedback or calling out problematic behavior is necessary to protect fairness, safety, or the integrity of the process. For example, if a party is being abusive, making deliberate misrepresentations, or refusing to engage honestly, a mediator may need to address that behavior to keep the discussion on track. In private sessions, the mediator might challenge positions more bluntly to uncover underlying interests or to prevent stall tactics. So, whether to criticize is situational: it’s often best to refrain, but there are circumstances where it’s appropriate to steer the mediation back on course. That’s why the correct choice is sometimes.