Why Wait Until the Courtroom Steps to Settle Your Workplace Lawsuit?

Leah Brown FRSA MSoM, Founder & CEO of Broadstairs Consulting, knows more than most that delays in the courts are not conducive to businesses that want to focus on the tasks at hand. An experienced corporate M&A lawyer-turned-mediator, Leah knows the ins and outs of the pressure points lawsuits create for leadership teams and is confident that there is a better approach that businesses can take however complex the dispute is.

One of the challenges of disagreements that escalate to a point where those involved feel the only way to solve the problem is to take it to court  – where lawyers, a jury, and a judge decide the outcome – is that the court makes one party right (the winner) and the other party wrong (the loser). Lawsuits are long, arduous processes that are expensive and time-consuming even if you win and not every employment-related lawsuit is avoidable. That’s why people traditionally settle on the steps of the court.

Broadstairs Consulting is redefining the notion of a people-first approach for companies facing litigation risk. When leaders are distracted by managing claims and being the decision-makers, the wider business suffers. Litigation is a risk that must be managed, but the associated time cost is rarely quantified.

Given disagreements, especially workplace-related conflicts, are an inevitable part of life it’s surprising that businesses are bad at dealing with them. It’s common to have breakdowns in trust between employees and managers and amongst members of the senior management teams.

Any situation where people are in conflict is an opportunity to build a bridge and facilitate freedom from that conflict so people can thrive.

Repairing the collapse quickly, efficiently, and thoroughly is essential for business continuity, minimizing attrition, and getting the culture right. Broadstairs Consulting assists its clients with that, making difficult conversations easier by holding space for people to feel heard. They create safe spaces for difference and facilitate freedom from conflict. The firm’s approach ensures that people are able to work together more effectively despite personality or ideological differences.

Leah has seen first-hand the damage that is done to businesses when problems are left to fester. No matter how great a product or strategy or branding, or how deep the profitability is, it can all go down the drain if people are not able to come together.

Broadstairs Consulting’s approach to reconciling relationships is grounded in mediation. By bringing in a neutral third party to facilitate difficult conversations, organizations will find that their people are able to disagree in a manner that is more healthy, constructive, and sustainable.

You may be a skeptic, especially if your organization is committed to litigation to resolve issues or function as a threat to remove people. However, the court cannot offer you creative solutions that are workable for both parties. It cannot deliver harmony or broach conversations with an open mind. Its adversarial nature does not lend itself to allowing people to feel safe in expressing their differences.

While mediation used to be relegated to the “last chance saloon” door, there is greatness to be found in using it long before the steps of the courtroom. Let Broadstairs Consulting help you engage in conversations that count and work with you to help you discover a path forward.