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James C. Melamed

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Maximizing Mediation   

 

A. What mean by "maximization?" 

1. assisting participants to be at their individual best

2. assisting participants to most capably work together

3. assisting participants to obtain the greatest possible satisfaction of their interests.

B. Mediation as best opportunity for maximized problem solving

Compare: Adjudication, Unassisted Negotiation and Mediation

C. Beyond Barely Sufficient Processes and Agreements to Most Capable Processes and Agreements

D. Maximization at Micro and Macro Levels


A Theory of Maximizing Mediation

A. Theoretic Options Regarding Power, Power Disparity, Competence and Mediator Response:

  • Operate under the illusion that the mediator does not influence participant power

  • Attempt to balance participant power

  • Seek to "comparably" empower (or disempower) participants or

  • Embrace empowerment and carry it to the fullest extent of "maximization"
B. Sample Maximizing Opportunities
  • Location
  • Early Communication with Parties

  • Number and Length of Meeting(s)
  • Homework
  • Caucusing

  • Use of the Internet
  • Use of Resource States 

  • Use of Advisors
  • Time to Contemplate?
 
Three Ways Mediators Work to Create Agreement

A.  The Interest-Based Option Generation Approach (problem-solving) 

B.  The Hypothesis Generation and Testing Approach (guessing) and

C.  The Doubt and Dissonance Approach (evaluation)


The Interest-Based Option Generation Approach

A. Consent to Process

B. Sharing Perspectives

C. Common Ground - Common Interests, Interdependence, Easy Points of Agreement

D. Problem Solving Statements

"How can we best . . .?"

"What is the best way for us to . . .?"

E. Desired Information and Documentation

F. "De-positioning" to Interests and Positive Intentions - resetting the table

G. Develop Options

H. Selecting from Options - The Exchange Environment and Package Dealing

I. Integration and Finalization

The Hypothesis Generation and Testing Approach
Mediation as a Process of Successive Approximation

A. Strategic Summarization

B. Hypotheses Development

C. Hypotheses Testing

D. Revise Hypotheses

E. Test Revised Hypotheses

F. Confirmation and Integration


Doubt and Dissonance - Creating a Healthy Tension of the Mind

A. Mutualized Dissonance vs. Individualized Heat

B. Two Sets of Arrangements

C. The Exchange Environment

D. The Hypothetical Question

E. Fact-Finding

F. The Parade of Horribles 

 

 A Mediator's 10 Most Valuable Techniques

  • Educating Clients Before They Come In - The Qualities of Mediation

  • Rapport Development (matching, pacing, leading)

  • Framing

  • Perspective Sharing

  • Common Ground Techniques

    - Common Interests
    - Interdependence
    - “Easy Points of Agreement”

  • Managing Emotional & Relational Issues

  • “De-positioning” to Motivating Interests and Positive Intentions

  • Questioning Techniques

  • New Perspectives

  • The Reference Point

 

More Valuable Techniques

  • Creating Experiential Expectations of Success (future pacing success)

  • Organizing the Effort – The Logistical Conference Call

  • Providing the Experience of Being Heard

  • Joint Session and Caucusing – What Works and What Doesn’t?

  • Face to Face and Electronic Communication - How best utilize?

 
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