Mediation update

I had the mediation meeting on Thursday. Overall, it went okay. We each came in with a list of a few things that were both positive in what was working and negative on what wasn't working or needed to be tweaked. We were both very respectful of each other and didn't step on each other's toes or anything.

Truly, A. and I are good friends which can always make things a bit complicated when investing in a employer/employee relationship. One thing that is great though is that we do respect each other's strengths and comment on them with positivity. This was something the dog consultant mentioned as she does a lot of mediations where people are just bickering at everything that is wrong with the other person. A. and I are completely aware that you just can't change people--that no matter what, people can change some, but there is still going to be a core, set view of beliefs and personality. That's what makes the true essence of a person!

We also know that we are very different people and approach life and our dogs in different ways. She views me as laid back, herself as a strict. I view myself as somewhat laid back but strict in the sense that I do have rules and boundaries in place with my dogs, it's just that I'm not as strict as she is. And sometimes we differ about what should or shouldn't be done with dogs, but again always respectful of each other.

So all in all, it wasn't too bad, though I will say, I did adhere to my mother's first rule of importance self-protection. I was certainly honest, but I did not go into a defensive mode with something she may have forgotten we had talked about. There was just no use in doing that.

In three weeks, we'll have another mediation update to see how things are going. I still believe this mediation was more for her than me as the majority of stuff was what we rehashed a few weeks ago when we spoke in her office. I do know A. is trying to listen to me more, give me some more free time, etc. This type of stuff is hard for her, but I'm certainly willing to work with her to get there as I do think we can make a good team ideally, even with our differences which I look at as complimenting one another.