Expectations of Conduct in Sessions
- Participants will focus on the future and avoid unnecessary discussions of the past Participants will focus on focusing conflict and not on assessing blame.
- Participants will keep in mind the clients' shared goals at every joint meeting, and will take actions and make decisions in furtherance of those goals.
- Participants will address others in a courteous manner and tone. Participants will not interrupt when another person is speaking. Participants will avoid sarcastic, contemptuous, critical, defensive, or judgmental communication/comments.
- If a participant feels that progress has ceased or that he/she is about to lose control of himself/herself and say or do something to impede progress, that participant will call for a break. If the break is insufficient to calm the affected participant, the meeting may be adjourned.
- Each participant will speak only for himself/herself. Participants will use “I” instead of “You” sentences.
- Participants will express their genuine interests.
- Participants will be patient with each other and the professionals. All participants will assume that each participant is acting in good faith and realize that everyone does not move at the same pace. To pull together, each participant must sometimes accommodate by slowing down. Delays may happen, even with everyone acting in good faith.
- Participants will follow the agenda for that joint meeting. If there are other topics that a participant wants to address, he/she shall ask that it be included in the agenda for the next joint meeting.
- Participants will be honest.
- Participants recognize that arguing is pointless.
Chart created by Collaborative Law Texas 2004