mediation

ICSID, International Conciliation, International Law, International Mediation, Investor-state mediation, Singapore, Singapore Convention on Mediation, Uncategorized, United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation

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Singapore is widely known as a leading centre on the map of international mediation. On 7 August 2019, a signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, nowadays commonly known as the Singapore Convention, was held there. On 23 February 2024, Singapore will host the 25th International Bar Association…

Book Review, Conflict, Dispute Resolution, Economics, Future of mediation, Game Theory, History of mediation, International Mediation, Leadership, Mediation and Society, Mediation Practice, mediation traditions, peace negotiations, Role of Mediator, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

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The Magic in Mediation This is a longer blog post than is normal but I will not be alone in describing Ken Cloke as one of the most influential figures in my life, both professionally and personally. Ken’s wisdom and humanity, expressed so well in his many books and seminars, have been hugely important to…

Conflict, Developing the Field, Gender, mediation as a career, Mediation Practice, Mediation Training, Personal Development, Uncategorized, Values and attributes of a mediator

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Research
Three people negotiating at a table

Soon after I started mediating, a client said “This must be a really satisfying job, when it’s successful.” I remember thinking it’s really satisfying even when it isn’t. This was my first glimpse of a question that has fascinated me ever since: what makes mediators tick? Why would anyone place themselves in midst of other…

Communication, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Domestic Courts, Future of mediation, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), Mediation Schemes (In Courts, etc.), Opt-Out, Promoting Mediation, Public Policy, Scotland

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The idea of using insights from behavioural science to achieve desirable policy goals burst into popular consciousness with the publication of Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness (R Thaler and C Sunstein, Yale University Press, 2008.) It describes the appealing notion that people can be encouraged to make good choices by the way…

Conflict, Leadership, Mediation Practice

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This article was prepared by Christian-Radu Chereji and Constantin-Adi Gavrilă. Peter Drucker once famously said, “the only definition of a leader is someone who has followers“. While we do agree that Peter Drucker is a magnificent thinker and writer, his definition sounds a bit too simplistic. The followers are an important “ingredient” to leadership, but…

Argument, Causes of Conflict, Cooperation, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dialogue, Future of mediation, Language, Mediation Practice, Philosophy, Reflective Practice, Scotland, The role of the mediator, Uncategorized

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The former British politician (and leadership contender when the Conservative Party was choosing Boris Johnson), Rory Stewart, is making a mark as an even more independent thinker than he was in the British Parliament. Recently, he hosted a three-part series on BBC Radio 4 entitled A Long History of Argument. It is worth listening to…

Future of mediation, Mediation Practice, Policy, Public Policy, Scotland

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Back in 2020, just before the world changed, I wrote a blog post on this site suggesting the establishment of the World Mediators’ Alliance on Climate Change. My argument was that mediation offers a much more sustainable way to resolve disputes than many other processes. We could also do a lot to reduce our carbon…

Bias, caucus, Caucus, Cognitive Bias, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Confidentiality, conlfict coaching, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Flexibility, Intuition, lawyers in mediation, mediation models, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Skills, Mediation Training, Negotiation, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Reflective Practice, Scotland, Stages of mediation, The role of the mediator

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It’s been a long time since I wrote a blog just about mediation practice. Other things always seem more important! However, as I was mediating this week, a thought occurred to me about a rather imperceptible but very real change in my practice as a mediator, which I develop here, albeit in a simplified way….

Conflict, conlfict coaching, crisis negotiatons, Go to the balcony, International Mediation, Mediation Practice, Negotiation, peace negotiations, Reality-Testing, Reflective Practice, Scotland, Ukraine

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I have been musing about what a mediator might say to President Putin given the opportunity. That led me to compose a letter a few weeks ago, with which I have since tinkered. This is merely a thought experiment. The letter goes something like this: “Dear President Putin I write as a mediator, a peacemaker….