There is often an imbalance in power in relationships, which tends to manifest more strongly during the conflict.

Power can arise for various reasons – authority, information/skills/experience, money, age, behaviourally or psychologically – and naturally feeds into the negotiation process.

Generally, in healthy ‘equal’ relationships, there is a continual power play, with each party taking turns, sometimes subconsciously, to exert influence on the other.

Where there is unequal power, the acquiescing party tends to use more passive means, such as withdrawal. A more powerful party will use more manipulative ways to leverage and influence outcomes.

What to do? You often know whether you are the stronger or weaker player in a difficult situation. It can vary between conflicts, depending on the type of dispute and nature of the relationship in which the conflict has arisen.

Trained mediators know when power imbalance is present and is used to manipulate a negotiation. In these situations, we take a more proactive role to monitor and ensure parties are checking themselves. We can help mitigate imbalance so your negotiation can proceed on more equal terms.