Sometimes the solution to a problem is obvious or simple, but not always. Particularly in multifaceted conflict (such as complex litigation, restructuring negotiations, business divorces, and multi-party disputes), the path to resolution often requires thinking outside of the box. To illustrate, let’s consider Drew Daywalt’s “The Day the Crayons Quit.” …
Tag: tips for mediation
Mediator Insights: How to Breach the Bully Barrier in Mediation
Bullies use aggressive behavior (physical and verbal) to intimidate and coerce others. Bullies show up in all aspects of life, including in mediation and negotiation. In many cases, the bully is the reason the dispute is in mediation. The bully has become the barrier to resolution. It is then the…
Mediator Insights: Don’t Just Know What You Want, Know What You Need
As parties prepare for mediation, they often focus on what they want. They want $X. They want out of a contract. They want to pay nothing. They want…. Sometimes parties forget to also consider what they need. There is a big difference between what you want (e.g., everything you asked…
Mediator Insights: Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus in Mediation
While it may require time, patience, perseverance, and creativity, as a mediator, I truly believe that most disputes can be settled. But just because most disputes can one day be settled, does not mean that all disputes can be settled at any given time. To illustrate, let’s consider Mo Willems’…
Mediator Insights – Click Clack Quack: Drafting Mediated Settlement Agreements
You go to mediation. You work hard all day culminating in an agreement. Now you need to document that agreement. Easy-peasy? Not really, because the devil is always in the details. To illustrate, I’m going to re-visit a children’s book that I explored previously: Doreen Cronin’s Click Clack Moo: Cows…
Mediator Insights: Receptivity and Resolution (Part 2)
As noted in my prior article, receptivity is being open to listening and accepting new information, ideas, or suggestions. In the context of mediation, receptivity is often the key to resolution (i.e., settlement). Receptivity is also the core focus of Robert Cialdini’s Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. …
Mediator Insights: A Glimpse Behind the Curtain
Offering a glimpse behind the mediator’s curtain to enhance parties’ ability to find the yellow brick road paving the path to resolution of disputes in mediation. Drawing on analogies from the Wizard of Oz, this article offers suggestions to advocates in mediation. © 2022 by the American Bar Association. Reproduced…
Mediator Insights: Can You Hear Me? Missed Opportunities in Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Dr. Seuss’ “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” offers a classic example of missed opportunities. Let me draw you a picture. Visualize this: Two Dr. Seuss characters are standing back-to-back in a room. One is named Joe. We do not know the other’s name. Each is holding a…
Is Trust a Necessity in Bankruptcy Negotiation and Mediation?
An oft-touted truism about both negotiation and mediation is that trust is critical to reaching an agreement. But is it? Parties typically come to mediation or engage in negotiation with a trust deficit. Perhaps parties feel wronged, betrayed, or angry. Perhaps there is no prior history between the parties, or…
Mediator Insights: Receptivity and Resolution
Receptivity is being open to listening and accepting new information, ideas, or suggestions. In the context of mediation, receptivity is often the key to resolution (i.e., settlement). Receptivity is also the core focus of Robert Cialdini’s Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade. Cialdini coined the word “pre-suasion” to…