As I told you in Part I of this series, (see my May 18,2014 blog), there is more to being a mediator than spending innumerable hours in a classroom learning the basics. Mediating successfully requires a number of personal skills and characteristics that aren’t developed in an academic setting.
So, what are the important skills?
There is a vital need to be aware of the human dynamics of the social interaction process called Mediation, both from understanding the mediator’s own values and culture to understanding “where the other is coming from”.
And there are a number of “others”: each individual party; each lawyer and/or advisor; and perhaps even a co-mediator.
I conducted a survey of a number of attorneys and asked what they considered to be the most important traits and skills of a good mediator and naturally I got a long list.
See my next blog for #1 on the list!