There are as many mediation styles as there are mediators. However, Leonard Riskin has created a useful means of analysing mediation styles. His New New Grid outlines how mediators may be narrow in their focus or broad. Courts are usually narrow in their focus, only the issues, which have been pleaded, will be considered. Whereas mediators may decide to be broad in their focus, for example in the dissolution of a partnership, the dispute may be centred on the assets but the mediator may decide to broaden the discussion to include the partners’ relationship.
In addition, another key dichotomy is elicitive or facilitative, and directive or evaluative. In elicitive or facilitative mediation, the mediator seeks to facilitate the discussion but not to guide it. The facilitative mediator will work on getting the parties to communicate their perspectives and views. However, a directive or evaluative mediator may make suggestions, he may give the parties a ‘mediator’s proposal’ which sets out how he thinks the dispute could be solved.
Within these broad frames, there also exist different mediation practice, which has developed out of history and necessity. For example, transformative mediation is less focused on problem solving than typical mediation. In transformative mediation the focus is on story telling and sharing, this enables increased understanding. Transformative mediation is looking to transform the relationship between the parties.