Tips

Argument, Below the line, Bias, Brexit, caucus, Cognitive Bias, Conflict, Conventional wisdom, Creativity, Decision making, Dialogue, Ethics, Fear, General, Impasse, Instinct, Interests, Intuition, Joint Sessions, Leaders, Leadership, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediators’ Conduct, Negotiation, Non-violent communication, Patience, Perception, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Reflective Practice, shuttle mediation, Skills, Status, Success in mediation, Tactics, Teamwork, The role of the mediator, Tips, Transformation

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /4 Comments

One of the privileges of mediating is to watch leaders at work. Every party, every team, has its leader(s). And as any mediator will tell you, the way in which they choose to lead during a mediation – and more widely during the conflict or dispute itself – has a significant impact on the outcome;…

Bias, Cognitive Bias, Commercial Mediation, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, Mediation and Society, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediators’ Conduct, Neuroscience, peace negotiations, Personal Development, Policy, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Promoting Mediation, Public Policy, Reflective Practice, Scotland, shuttle mediation, Skills, Social intelligence, Success in mediation, The role of the mediator, Tips, Transformation, Trust, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

(Core Solutions Group)/ /Leave a comment

“I’ve been trying to tell you, but you didn’t listen. You’ve got to go down more deeply and take more time, you’re rushing it and it’s too superficial. You’re hardly disturbing the surface. You’ll make no progress that way. And you are using so much effort. Relax. When you get into difficulty, you are expending…

Below the line, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Community Mediation, Conflict, Conventional wisdom, Creativity, Dialogue, Dispute Resolution, Due Process, General, Instinct, Intuition, mediation as a career, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediators’ Conduct, Perception, Playbook, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Reflective practise, Skills, Tips, Transformation, Understanding mediation

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /11 Comments

It’s not easy to blog once a month, even on a subject I love. Often I sit down to write with no real ideas or inspiration. Sometimes I end up that way too (as you may have noticed!). It becomes easy to dread the approach of my monthly publication date. Often the pressure lies in…

ADR, ADR Clauses, Appointment of Mediators, Availability of Mediators, caucus, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Corporate Counsel's View, cross-border mediation, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Dispute Resolution Clause, Enforcement of a Mediation Clause, Enforcement of an ADR Clause, Evaluative Mediation, Future of mediation, General, Global Pound Conference Series 2016-17, International commercial mediation, International Mediation, Joint Sessions, Lawyers, Legal Issues, Mediation Contract Clause, Mediation Lawyering, mediation process, Mediation Users/Clients, Promoting Mediation, Quality, Stages of mediation, Stories, Tips, Uncategorized

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /Leave a comment

This is the second in a short series of blogs interviewing regular users of mediation about what they really want from mediators and from mediation. We kicked off last month with Rebecca Clark. This month, I have the pleasure of interviewing Michael McIlwrath, who has been the head of litigation for GE Oil & Gas…

Commercial Mediation, Decision making, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, Joint Sessions, Lawyers, lawyers in mediation, mediated settlement agreement, Mediation Agreement, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediators’ Conduct, Negotiation, Promoting Mediation, Scotland, Settlement Agreements, shuttle mediation, Stages of mediation, Success in mediation, Tips, Transformation, Understanding mediation

(Core Solutions Group)/ /Leave a comment

A whole day of mediation without a “joint meeting”. The only time the lawyers met was to begin drafting the settlement agreement. The experts played no part. The day before, the principals had exchanged correspondence deprecating perceived personal insults directed at professional advisers which, it was felt, had damaged reputations. This was a long-running commercial…

Developing the Field, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Users/Clients, Skills, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /2 Comments

This post riffs on Elvis Costello’s “What’s So Funny Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?” to probe the usefulness of the words “trust” and “respect” in mediation. Invitation Mediators the world over are taught to invite their clients to speak. We’re not there to tell people what to do; rather to ask them what they want…

Co-mediation, Community Mediation, mediation as a career, Mediation Practice, memory, Mentoring, Non-violent communication, Reflective practise, Speediation, Stories, Tips, Uncategorized, Young Mediators

(Mediator & peace seeker)/ /6 Comments
Young Mediators Initiative (YMI)

Do you remember mediating your first mediation? In this blog I share my early mediation experiences, calling upon the veterans amongst you to travel down memory lane and rummage around in all those dusty, nostalgic moments. I invite you to share them with those of us who are yet to slay that first mediation dragon…

Conflict, Developing the Field, Impasse, lawyers in mediation, mediation models, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mistakes, Tactics, Tips, Understanding mediation

(University of Strathclyde)/ /5 Comments

Despite some scepticism about the value of “roleplay” most mediation training involves asking people to run a pretend mediation session. I’ve tried various euphemisms to ease trainees’ anxiety – “skills practice”, “simulation”, “sitting with conflict” – but none seems to make it any less daunting. You can read about this activity, watch others do it,…

Causes of Conflict, Conflict, Developing the Field, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Instinct, Mediation Practice, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Tips, Training

(University of Strathclyde)/ /Leave a comment

“You cannot direct a living system; you can only disturb it”1 When mediators join a conflict, they enter a living system. Realise it or not, that system is instantly changed by their arrival. Change may be for the better, and we hope our influence is benign, but nothing is the same again. It therefore makes…

Apology, Causes of Conflict, Communication, Creativity, Dispute Resolution, Guitar, Humorous Pieces, Mediation Practice, Negotiation, Scotland, Tips, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /2 Comments

‘Tis the season to be merry. And indulgent. ‘Tis also the season when favourite songs are compiled by well-meaning souls into apparently themed collections. In the UK, we have a long-running radio show called “Desert Island Discs” in which celebrities and others select their favourite pieces of music as they reminisce about their lives. The…