Mediators Compete!

Shocking, isn’t it? It’s absolutely true.

Mediators compete for clients instead of working collaboratively. We compete for a variety of reasons; however, having a scarcity mentality tops the list. A scarcity mentality reinforces the notion that there are not enough paying clients for everyone. Your gain is my loss, so to speak. Action or thoughts seem to flow from a place of fear and uncertainty, rather than confidence and hope.

Abundance Mentality

I like to work from an abundance mentality. That means there’s an abundant pool of work available to anyone and everyone who wants it. I like to say we’re in a recession-proof industry. As long as there are human beings there’ll be conflict to resolve, even amongst the most skillful communicators!

My challenge is to find paying clients with needs that match my unique talents. It’s not a matter of if but when I find these clients because I’m not the only one looking. I have a team of champions who look too.

Select a Team of Champions

You can create your own Team of Champions. It can’t be just anybody (well, I suppose it could but you might not get the results we’re talking about) I fill my team with ADR professionals I admire and trust. It can be folks that I’ve worked with in the past or hope to work with in the future. Mainly, I like want teammates that share my thinking about ‘doing good and doing well financially’.

Then the fun begins. I study my champions and their work. We talk, email and share our perspectives. Aside from being a great learning opportunity, I also grow comfortable enough to confidently refer clients to them. I love being able to say, ‘I have just the right person for you’. Best of all my fellow champions do the same for me. I know that when something ‘just up my alley’ crosses his or her desk I’ll get a call. We collaborate, not compete.

Diving for pearls usually comes to mind when I talk this. Imagine that you have to dive into the murky, dark waters to find oysters that contain black pearls. Alone, your work is slow, tiring and doesn’t reap much benefit. But what happens when you team up with a diver seeking only pink pearls? You’re twice as likely to each find the gems you seek with less effort and more encouragement.


What does this mean to you? Ask yourself: do I have a scarcity mentality? What can I do today to create and support my own team of champions?