The consultation phase of the independent review of the Australian National Mediator Accreditation System (NMAS Review 2020-22) was completed in May and Findings and Recommendations are now available. The NMAS has been reviewed twice since its implementation in 2008. The Mediator Standards Board(MSB) share on their website that the most recent review was led by…

Mediation is known for its procedural flexibility, its inclusiveness in terms of who can come to the table, its cultural agility, its promise of creative outcomes that reflect what’s important to those involved and affected by the dispute. It’s not about fact finding, it’s not just about evidence, it’s not about third party decision-making. Added…

Given the confidential nature of mediation, it is a rare set of circumstances that allow us to catch a glimpse into the mediator’s craft. The current review of the professional standards governing Australia’s accredited mediators provides one such opportunity, The review seeks, to the extent permissible, to uncover what practitioners are actually doing, including the…

The Harvard Program on Negotiation (PON) has provided a life-changing experience for many of us. It certainly changed the trajectory of my life and triggered a life-long immersion in conflict resolution theory and practice. I am immensely grateful. The program has been an evolutionary one – regularly enhanced and updated to fit the frame of…

Going online is an opportunity to rethink old ways and try out new ones. For mediators, trainers, coaches, and teachers. Professionally the crisis can be an opportunity. While of course also a threat, with loss of business and income in many sectors, including mediation, facilitation and coaching. The competition for work may become tougher. This…

Online courses have been around on the internet for decades now. You can learn almost everything you want online, and multiple online learning platforms such as Udemy, Skillshare, Coggno, or Skillwise give you an infinite choice of courses that you can take from the comfort of your home, when you want, and at your own…

Romanian mediators are called on the 2nd and the 3rd of March 2019 to vote for the election of the members of the Romanian Mediation Council. Nine members and three alternates of the Mediation Council 2019-2023 will be elected for a four-year term by 4821 mediators that are authorized for practice in Romania. At the…

Greg Bond’s recent post on mediation cultures reminded me of an encounter I had with a group of mediators several years ago. Allow me to share with you my recollection of what happened. I was conducting a workshop on international and intercultural approaches to mediation for 15 freshly-minted mediators from a European country — all…

As a spiritual junkie, I like to read empowering quotes on the internet. This one I like: “The only time success comes before work is in the dictionary”. Why? Because the road to becoming a mediator is a journey. Interesting, enriching, but sometimes this journey feels like an eternity. As you attend your first training…