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Apologies, Apology, Communication, Cross-cultural, Intuition, Mediation Practice, Nigeria, Scotland, Transformation, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /5 Comments

I have written before on this blog about ‘mediating from the neck up’: my conviction that I was taught (and teach) a rationalistic, even cerebral, process that privileges thought over emotion and language over movement (see http://kluwermediationblog.com/2013/12/13/mediating-from-the-neck-up/ ). As I acknowledged at the time, having this insight and doing something about it are two quite…

Apology, Causes of Conflict, Clients, Communication, Conflict, General, Instinct, Language, Lawyers, Mediation Practice, Mediators’ Conduct, Mistakes, Neuroscience, Scotland, Stages of mediation, Stories, Time Pressure, Trust, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /3 Comments

It was just a few moments. “You can’t play on our course without proper golf shoes.” “But we played here two days ago in these shoes.” “My colleague must have made a mistake”. “But it was you who let us play…”. “It’s in our rules.” “Where?” “Here.” “No it’s not. There is nothing about soft…

ADR, Clients, Communication, Developing the Field, Future of mediation, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), Online Mediation, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /2 Comments

Many of us have been hearing about Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) for years but haven’t quite got round to using it. It sounds like a nice idea when face-to-face mediation isn’t an option through distance and/or cost. And yet I suspect that for most mediators the ‘gold standard’ is being in the same room as…

Commercial Mediation, Communication, conlfict coaching, Skills, Uncategorized

(Brick Court Chambers / Clifton Chambers)/ /1 Comment

Tension Raising Behaviours; 100% statements Labelling Put downs and excitable statements Threats Interpreting/analysing/patronising/matronising Collecting allies Non-verbal behaviours Preparing an attack Sarcasm Defensiveness/self justifying Over detailing Tension Reducing Behaviours; Acknowledging probable legitimate concerns Put in perspective Be specific Own the interpretation Own the personal response Invite feedback Invite response

Book Review, Causes of Conflict, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Community Mediation, Conflict, Creativity, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Efficiency, Ethics, General, Language, Lawyers, Mediation Practice, Mediators’ Conduct, Negotiation, Policy, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Scotland, Skills, Success in mediation, Tips, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /Leave a comment

I am interested in convergence – of ideas, of behaviour, of trends, of different disciplines. The more I read, the more common themes I discern in the arts, science, spirituality, leadership and in what we do as mediators. A reflection of this is found in the African concept of ubuntu, “the profound sense that we…

crisis negotiatons, Developing the Field, Future of mediation, General, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Hong Kong, Interests, Intuition, mediation models, Mediation Practice, Negotiation, Skills, Social intelligence, Tactics, Training, Uncategorized

(Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /Leave a comment

Talking to Dr Gilbert Wong Senior Superintendent, Commanding Officer, Police Negotiation Cadre, Hong Kong Walking into Gilbert Wong’s office is like stumbling into Aladdin’s Cave – a treasure trove of memories and stories of his 21 years in the Hong Kong Police Force. Amongst his library of books on crisis negotiation, psychology, counselling, psychotherapy and…

Business, Developing the Field, Efficiency, Future of mediation, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), mediation as a career, Mediation Institutions and Rules, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), National Mediation Laws, Public Policy, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /Leave a comment

Czech Innovation: “Mediation Assistants” Fascinating visit to the Czech Republic recently. I was asked to provide the training for a group of ‘mediation assistants’. Never having heard the term before I was intrigued. I flew to Prague (stag-night capital of Europe) and after a reasonably terrifying drive through a rainstorm arrived in in Hradec Králové,…

Business, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Confidentiality, Conflict, conlfict coaching, Conventional wisdom, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Efficiency, Future of mediation, General, Impasse, Improvisation, International Mediation, mediation models, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation traditions, Mediators’ Conduct, Mentoring, Negotiation, Scotland, Skills, Stories, Success in mediation, Tips, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /Leave a comment

I write here about two contrasting experiences which have, for me, underscored the richness of the mediation process. In one mediation, involving business partners with an ongoing management issue, one of the protagonists (A) suggested bringing in another partner (D) who was not perceived to be a part of the present problem, simply to observe,…

Bias, Conventional wisdom, Court Procedure and Litigation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, Legal Issues, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

(University of Strathclyde)/ /9 Comments

Intellectual life is beset by ‘gap’ problems. Philosophers wrestle with the ‘mind-body problem’: the gap between material and non-material aspects of human existence. All science can be construed as an attempt to bridge the gap between what is and what we can imagine: an inductive corrective to deductive supposition. Roger Cotterrell describes law’s gap problem…