We are coming up to International Mediation Awareness Week (IMAW) 2026, which runs from Monday, 9 November to Friday, 13 November 2026. The idea is to highlight how mediation resolves disputes without going to court. Having a public awareness week is useful, but it’s not enough in itself to deal with the problem. Here are
Why Aren’t More People Using Mediation? Read More »
Is shuttle becoming the new norm for mediation? It seems to becoming more frequent, and more often the starting assumption. This post asks why, and what shuttle costs in different kinds of matters. What we are talking about Shuttle mediation keeps the parties apart for the whole process. The mediator moves between rooms carrying information,
Shuttle Mediation – Can We Have Mediation Without Dialogue? Read More »
My friend Sabine, a senior leader in a corporate organisation, recently told me about a moment that a female colleague of hers had experienced at work, a moment that many women in leadership will recognise. Her colleague, a top leader at another corporate organisation, had been developing a board presentation when two male colleagues, both
Robert Baruch Bush’s recent article in the Harvard Negotiation Law Review tackles something most mediators have noticed: we all agree that party self-determination is fundamental to mediation, yet we practice it very differently. The Gap Between Theory and Practice Bush identifies two distinct approaches: In facilitative mediation, self-determination matters, but it can be set aside
REAL WORLD INSIGHTS: Why We All Say “Self-Determination” But Practice It Differently Read More »
Recently, we had the privilege of hosting Professor Elizabeth Stokoe for a webinar on her research into how intake staff at UK mediation centres communicate with callers seeking information. As a psychologist specializing in conversation analysis, Professor Stokoe examines real interactions rather than those happening in artificial experimental settings. Her work provides valuable insights for
The Subtle Art of Impartiality: Lessons from Conversation Analysis Read More »
When someone says they’re a mediator, what image comes to mind? Probably someone who helps people in conflict work through their differences, right? Simple enough. But here’s the thing—mediators are not all the same. In fact, the mediation field is incredibly diverse, even though most practitioners don’t describe themselves beyond the generic label of “mediator.” There are many different
Exploring the Diversity of Mediation Read More »
* Thanks to Rebekka Kornmehl, Danielle Hutchinson, and Carol Bowen for their helpful feedback on this content. People in the conflict resolution field typically think of mediation as a client-centered, informal, and flexible approach to managing conflict. However, as highlighted by participants in the Symposium for Access to Justice for Autistic People in ADR in
Embracing Inclusivity in Mediation – A Pathway to Justice for Neurodivergent Individuals Read More »
I recently had an interesting conversation with someone who started out by describing their boss as a “narcissistic personality” and who was looking for some advice about how to get them to change their behaviours towards staff. Work with behaviours, not labels The first step is to emphasize the importance of avoiding labelling the boss
When the Boss Is Exhibiting Challenging Behaviours Read More »
In the world of mediation, professionals frequently encounter complex ethical dilemmas that require careful consideration and judgment. Recently, a discussion among mediators explored such challenges in depth, providing valuable insights into the ethical intricacies of the profession. This blog post delves into the key themes discussed, focusing on the delicate balance mediators must maintain between
Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Mediation: Insights from Practitioners Read More »
Coleman argues that there are three different criteria for how we might adapt our interpersonal conflict strategies: relational importance, goal type, power differences. These different criteria lead to seven basic types of interpersonal situations. These include: where the conflict is of low importance (independence), compassionate responsibility (high power, cooperative goals), partnership (equal power, cooperative), cooperative
REAL WORLD INSIGHTS: How we adapt our interpersonal conflict strategies Read More »