At the beginning of the mediation session, the mediator may try to highlight areas of common ground. These are factors, which may have been forgotten or obscured which show that there is a community of interest between the parties. It may be that there was once a good relationship, or it may be that they are both in business and need to get back to work. Some will be more meaningful than others but the point is to remind the parties that they are not so far apart as they may seem.