by Dr. Z | Jul 27, 2012 | Learning, Mediation and Communication, Understanding Conflict
A few months back I was conducting a training seminar for about 30 law enforcement officials. The title of the presentation was “Mediation Skills in Law Enforcement.” After some brief introductions and stereotypical presentation humor, I began to summarize...
by Dr. Z | Aug 23, 2011 | Mediation and Communication, Negotiation
The Fallacy of ‘Homo Economicus’ In the realm of Economics, it is assumed that people act rationally and make decisions that are always in one’s best interests. Economists call this “Maximizing Utility,” and traditional economics theory...
by Dr. Z | Jul 7, 2011 | Mediation and Communication, Multi-Party Facilitations
I recently conducted a multi-party facilitation and am seeking feedback from other conflict management professionals and attorneys who have facilitated similar situations. I will provide some background about the issue, discuss my perspective on how it went, and then...
by Dr. Z | Jun 6, 2011 | Divorce Mediation, Mediation and Communication
How often do people read manuals? Rarely. The only time people pull out the manual is when an appliance or vehicle breaks down. Why should relationships be any different? We don’t go into a friendship or marriage with a set of guidelines that outlines how to navigate...
by Dr. Z | Nov 13, 2010 | Mediation and Communication
Two things are necessary to communicate effectively with any audience. First, you need to understand and appeal to your audience’s needs, values, and ideas. Second, you must use your knowledge of substantive issues to convey your expertise while simultaneously...
