innovation

Game Theory, History of mediation, mediation as a career, mediation models, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediators’ Conduct, Perception, Philosophy, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Promoting Mediation, Scotland, Uncategorized

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“Doubt is not a pleasant condition but certainty is an absurd one.” These words of Voltaire are as apt today as they were when he wrote them in the 18th century. I don’t know about you but this year seems to be a curious mixture where some people purport to deal in apparent certainties, which…

ADR, Creativity, Decision making, Developing the Field, Economics, Future of mediation, Game Theory, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Impasse, Interests, International Mediation, mediation models, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Negotiation, Philosophy, Policy, Scotland

(Core Solutions Group)/ /1 Comment

John and David Sturrock 1. Introduction Several years ago, while travelling back with my son David to Oxford where he was studying as an undergraduate, we discussed my work as a mediator and his study of economics, particularly the learning for us both from Game Theory. I (John) had been familiar with The Prisoners’ Dilemma…

Bias, Business, Clients, Cognitive Bias, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Deal Mediation, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Efficiency, Fear, General, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Improvisation, Interests, mediation models, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Negotiation, Neuroscience, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Scotland, Skills, Sport, Stories, Success in mediation, Trust, Understanding mediation

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The Olympics have come and gone with all of the emotion and inspiration they bring. In our recent, fully-subscribed, residential Summer School on mediation skills for leaders, we reflected on the learning from Rio. We watched a video replay of the men’s taekwondo -80kg final in which Team GB’s Lutalo Muhammad lost to his Ivory…

ADR, Commercial Mediation, Conflict, Future of mediation, International Mediation, Online Mediation

(FORARB/Charles University)/ /4 Comments

  At the end of March, when I finally arrived back to  Prague after weeks full of traveling (I almost flew the globe around), I sat down and wanted to share with you some experiences I had having attended the Global Pound Conference Series launch in Singapore. Then I realized that the time did not…

Communication, Conflict, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, International Mediation, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Negotiation, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Public Policy, Reform, Scotland, Skills, Transformation, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /1 Comment

This week, I have had the genuine privilege of contributing one of the key note addresses at the Annual Conference of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of New Zealand (AMINZ) in Wellington. It has been a terrific conference, superbly organized by the indefatigable Deborah Hart. The standard of the many and diverse sessions has been…

ADR, Book Review, Business, Causes of Conflict, Clients, Cognitive Bias, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Conflict, Conventional wisdom, Creativity, Decision making, Developing the Field, Future of mediation, General, Improvisation, Language, Mediation Practice, Mediation Users/Clients, Neuroscience, Policy, Scotland, Skills, Stories, Success in mediation, Tips, Training, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /1 Comment

It’s funny how one thing leads to another. Regular Kluwer blogger Ian Macduff posted a great blog earlier this week on the importance of asking questions. That reminded me that I had intended to get hold of a book by Edgar Schein entitled “Humble Inquiry: The Gentle Art of Asking Instead of Telling”. So, I…

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,…

Commercial Mediation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Lawyers, Legal Practice, Mediation Practice, Training, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /1 Comment

I was pleased to read that this year’s ICC Competition went so well. Having hosted the UK Law Student Mediation Competition in Glasgow in November I was first-hand witness to the wholehearted, thoughtful way young mediators throw themselves into this work. They appear unaffected by the scepticism of older lawyers. All of this is very…

ADR, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Costs in Mediation, Court Procedure and Litigation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Domestic Courts, Efficiency, Enforcement, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Mediation Institutions and Rules, Mediation Practice, Mediation Schemes (In Courts, etc.), Mediation Users/Clients, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Standards

(University of Strathclyde)/ /1 Comment

One of the privileges and perils of working as a mediator in Scotland is that we get a close-up view of developments in England and Wales. In an ideal world this should allow us (pop. 5 million) to learn from them (pop. 55 million): to pick the best innovations and avoid the failures. As I…