In searching for a topic for this week, I reviewed my colleague Linda Bulmash’s “Negotiation Tips” published monthly by the Los Angeles County Bar. Her topic for this month is using respect and grace in negotiation. Her point: Civility, respect and grace do much towards reaching an agreement. These words [Read More]
Have you ever made a decision because it “felt” right? That is, you can’t explain the rationale or logic behind how and why you decided what you did, but deep in your “gut”, you “know” you made the “right” decision simply because it “felt” right. It turns out that you [Read More]
Late last year, I mediated a “family” dispute involving facts that were stranger than fiction. It seems that Jane Jones (fictional name) had a relationship with Joseph Smith (again, a fictional name). They had two children together, although they never married. They, then, went their separate ways. However, Ms. Jones [Read More]
Last week, there was a pretty important mediation. It involved a lot of parties - 20 to be exact - on a very important issue- the global economy. It took place in London and was co-mediated. The primary mediator - Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Britain- seemed to be doing [Read More]
On Sunday night (August 23, 2009), ABC TV aired the last prime time episode of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” One of the contestants learned (and taught the rest of us) a valuable lesson in risk taking vs. risk aversion. Ken Basin, a 24 year old Harvard (magna cum [Read More]
Even for a mediator, mediations can be very frustrating. I had a mediation the other week that falls into this category. The defendant and his counsel were willing to settle, and, in fact, wanted to settle. But the matter did not settle. . . because of plaintiff’s counsel. She had [Read More]
The art of negotiation can present ethical dilemmas. As explained in the April 2008 (Vol. 11, No. 4) issue of Negotiation published by the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, at times, negotiators will make decisions that clash with their own ethics. Such clashes can arise in a myriad [Read More]
The other day (March 3, 2008, p. 6) the Los Angeles Daily Journal carried an article by Robert A. Steinberg (a mediator with ADR Services) entitled “Mediation Requires Deal Makers, Not Decision Makers.” His theme is that “mediation is a facilitated negotiation.” (Emphasis original.) As Mr. Steinberg explains, “negotiations develop [Read More]
