Decision making

Communication, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dialogue, Language, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Philosophy, Skills, The role of the mediator, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /3 Comments
What mediators do with words

‘The world is made, not found’ (W. Barnett Pearce) (1) I just spent an intensive weekend on Zoom with my students, helping them navigate their early steps into mediation practice. So much has changed. I have never met most of them face to face; we sit at home on our screens; there are no coffee…

Argument, Communication, Decision making, Dialogue, General, Social intelligence

/ /4 Comments

“The grandchildren put out a treble tongue, Law is the senses of the young” W H Auden, “Law like Love” “In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.” ― Czesław Miłosz (Polish-American poet, 1911-2004) A couple of months ago, our 15-year old granddaughter,…

Bias, Causes of Conflict, Cognitive Bias, Decision making, Dispute Resolution, Instinct, Mindset, Perception, Reflective Practice

(Paul Sills Mediator & Barrister)/ /2 Comments

Introduction “A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” William James Whether as mediators, advisors or parties in dispute, we consider ourselves rational, open minded thinkers. We make decisions in an objective, non-biased fashion, don’t we? Sadly, not often. We are all susceptible to a swarm of cognitive…

Argument, Below the line, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Cooperation, Decision making, Dispute Resolution, Experience, Flexibility, Gender, Joint Sessions, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediation with Teams, Mindset, shuttle mediation, Trust, Uncategorized

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /8 Comments

Mediation can be an intense experience for parties and their advisers. Often there is a lot on the line. In the substance there may be money, control, reputation, pride. In the process, there are challenges such as influencing other parties, getting the best deal possible, making well-informed judgment calls about risk, developing effective offers, and…

ADR, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Conflict, Conventional wisdom, Creativity, Decision making, Dialogue, Dispute Resolution, Efficiency, Experience, Flexibility, Future of mediation, General, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Mediation as a business, Mediation Practice, mediation process, mediation traditions, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediators’ Conduct, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), Online Mediation, Patience, Preparation, Promoting Mediation, Reflective Practice, Reflective practise, shuttle mediation, Success in mediation, Time Pressure, Transformation, user perspectives

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /20 Comments

For once, I seem to have time. No travel, no trips out, no long walks on the hills. Some zoom mediations, granted, but still much more time. And with that, I find myself reflecting on the significance of time in mediation. Time is a major feature in mediation. Indeed, we ourselves have promoted the process…

Cognitive Bias, Creativity, Decision making, Efficiency, History of mediation, Mistakes, Philosophy, Planning, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Reflective Practice, Settlement Agreements, Stories, The role of the mediator, Understanding mediation, War Stories

(FORARB/Charles University)/ /Leave a comment

At a certain point, when another offer was denied, one of the managers showed a real disappointment with the hard negotiation approach presented by the other party: “You know what?! I lost my patience. I will not sit here any further… I will ask my lawyer to finish the formalities and let’s see each other…

Bias, Cognitive Bias, Creativity, Decision making, Fear, Guitar, Intuition, Neuroscience, Time Pressure, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /2 Comments

“If two people are in a room, there are actually six to consider: “What each person is; what each person thinks he or she is; and what each person thinks the other is.” So began a recent Guardian editorial on relations between Iran and the USA. This observation is attributed to the late wife of…

Bias, Cognitive Bias, Creativity, Decision making, Framing, Japan, Personal Development, Reflective practise, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /Leave a comment

A recent visit to Japan coincided with the inauguration of the new Emperor Naruhito and the start of what has been designated as the ‘Reiwa’ era. This is officially translated as beautiful harmony, although other interpretations have also mentioned order and control! At the ceremony to mark his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne the new…

ADR, Decision making, Efficiency, Feedback, Future of mediation, General, Mediation as a business, mediation as a career, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Mentoring, Mistakes, Social intelligence, Tips

(FORARB/Charles University)/ /Leave a comment

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” – Winston Churchill Improving Habit of Thinking The popular quote attributed to the former British prime minister is easily adaptable to mediation. The optimistic mediator considers the mediated settlement probable and helps the parties by spreading the friendly and promising…

Communication, Decision making, Due Process, Efficiency, Ethics, Framing, Language, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediators’ Conduct, Reflective Practice, Success in mediation, The role of the mediator

(Bond & Bond Mediation / University of Wildau )/ /1 Comment

The word “manipulation” has a bad name. It is usually used to denote devious and underhand behaviour. If we say that someone is being manipulative or that someone is a manipulative person then we are usually disapproving. Mediators are manipulators, and master mediators are master manipulators. I respond here to Rick Weiler’s recent post, in…