Find the right thread to pull

Overheard recently in a discussion between litigators discussing the wisdom of hiring an evaluative mediator.

"It's just too risky and we don't want a mediator telling us anything, we can get a Judge to do that"

When one of the huddle said "hang on a minute - I'm not talking about a thumbs up/thumbs down kinda guy, I want someone who finds the right thread to pull so as to facilitate an organised retreat, that's what I mean by evaluative...'