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Rehearsing In Poetry, But Practising In Prose - The Anatomy Of A Manly Mediation, Geoff Sharp

Geoff Sharp

As arranged, the cast gathered at 9.30am for yesterday's production in the sort of law offices where, if you want a coffee, you need to say whether it's a latte, macchiato, cappuccino or espresso with soy/trim/creamer...

40 Sites In 40 Minutes, Geoff Sharp

Geoff Sharp

The best of free mediation resources on the world wide web

I Know It's Not My Problem... But It Happened On My Watch, Geoff Sharp

Geoff Sharp

It is at some risk that I set out to promote my expertise in the area of what to do when mediation ends in disagreement.

Nevertheless, I dread those times when the smell of napalm hangs in the air as the parties depart the room with their final exchanges of the ‘see you in court’ variety ringing in my ears.

To assist my investigation of what we do as mediators when destination Yes eludes us, I polled a number of experienced commercial mediators. I am indebted to my friends from Bond University in Queensland, Australia and colleagues from the International …

Desert Island Questions For Mediators, Geoff Sharp

Geoff Sharp

When I was a wee lad, I drove others nuts by asking questions. They were, I am told, good open ones usually starting ".... but, why?"

As time passed, I grew into a know-it-all teen and forgot about asking questions, more intent on doing the telling. Now at age 40 and in my role as a commercial mediator, I seem to have come full circle and once again appreciate the value of the well-timed, well-constructed question aimed at the essence of a discussion.

So what are my all-time favourites? What questions do I ask that make people sit back in …

In Praise Of Joint Sessions, Geoff Sharp

Geoff Sharp

This paper deals with the increasing trend amongst mediators to do away with a joint session (where the parties meet face-to-face) at mediation in favour of meeting with the parties privately and adopting a shuttle mediation model.

This is an especially topical debate amongst mediators with some advocating that a purely private session or caucus model of mediation where the parties never meet saves time and is what the market now requires. This compares with other mediators resisting the demise of the joint session, saying it is at the heart of what mediators do and of what mediation is.

For …