Mediation is the involvement of an impartial third party to support and help those involved in a conflict to find a resolution.

The key difference between negotiation and mediation is that in negotiation, the parties involved work out their own agreement. In mediation, they have the support of the third party, the mediator, to help them come to an agreement.

Mediation, whether formal or informal, can often help solve conflicts that have gone beyond the negotiation stage.