Description
Book SynopsisIn the last three decades, mediation has been increasingly used in the United States and elsewhere. Much has been written about the philosophical underpinnings and ethical dilemmas of mediation as well as its applications both within judicial systems and beyond the limits of these systems. However, some very basic challenges remain: How can entrenched positions, strong emotions, and cultural differences be dealt with? Mediation expertise is truly achieved when a mediator learns to overcome these challenges through experience and intuition. To speed up the learning curve of mediation expertise, Jean Poitras and Susan Raines have benchmarked the mediation process in Expert Mediators: Overcoming Mediation Challenges in Workplace, Family, and Community Conflicts. Tapping the experience and wisdom of over 175 highly qualified mediators from across different realms of the mediation practice (e.g., family mediation, workplace mediation, commercial mediation) and across geographic regions (e.g
Trade ReviewThis wonderful and important work by authors Poitras and Raines offers great promise to significantly advance the art and science of mediation practice. They have carefully benchmarked experienced mediators and 'best practices' from a wide variety of mediation settings to codify and explain how to overcome eight predictable challenges mediators are likely to face. By colorful and user friendly illustrations of mediators at work, they provide numerous key insights and tools that stretch far beyond the basic mediation training that limits the effectiveness and utility of many mediators. They have done a masterful job in providing readers an opportunity to be guided by an august group of talented experts! -- Neil Katz Ph.D, Professor, Nova Southeastern University and Professor Emeritus, Maxwell School, Syracuse University
This book fills a gap in the literature for novice mediators. It provides a deep understanding of strategies and techniques that experienced mediators use when faced with challenges which lead to an impasse. It should be recommended reading for mediation training programs. -- Dale Bagshaw Ph.D, University of South Australia
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments IntroductionWhy do we need to benchmark mediation? CHAPTER 1 Tapping expert mediators' knowledge CHAPTER 2 Dealing with parties’ resistance to mediation CHAPTER 3 Dealing with mistrust among parties CHAPTER 4 Dealing with difficult attorneys CHAPTER 5 Dealing with cultural differences CHAPTER 6 Maintaining neutrality in mediation CHAPTER 7 Dealing with parties’ emotions CHAPTER 8 Moving from past to future focus CHAPTER 9 Dealing with entrenched positions ConclusionHow do expert mediators mediate? References Appendix 1 Mediator Biographies About the Authors Index
