The ABCs of conflict resolution

Some time ago, I interviewed Settle It Now’s Vickie Pynchon as part of my Success Leaves Clues series. I’m a regular reader of Vickie’s blog because I love her smarts and edgy humor.

The blogosphere first connected me with Vickie and she’s now part of what Diane Levin aptly named the ADR Blog Posse…the people I turn to when I could use a little reasoned reaction from fellow bloggers. They include Vickie, Diane, Geoff Sharp, Gini Nelson and Stephanie West Allen.

When Vickie told me about the book she’s working on a while back, I was instantly in love with her idea. I love it because it’s so, well, Vickie. Smart, snarky in a good way, and just waiting to be done. Vickie is the perfect person to write this book and the world’s going to love it. [Read more]

Success leaves clues: Gini Nelson

Success Leaves Clues is my occasional series of interviews with interesting ADR professionals who have effectively navigated the intersection of technology use and ADR practice-building.

Gini Nelson and I re-connected a few weeks ago and agreed to exchange interviews, and I’m delighted she’s agreed to be profiled for this series. I first met Gini in person a few years ago at the Minneapolis ACR, when I attended a terrific workshop she lead on the neuroscience of conflict. I’d been teaching a grad course for years that integrated that topic into the course and was curious what Gini might add to my thinking about it. She was a dynamic presenter with good content and I’ve followed her blog and newsletters ever since.

Gini’s an active user of the web, [Read more]

Success leaves clues: john ford

If you’ve spent any time at all looking for good mediator resources on the web, then you know John Ford, at least indirectly. Since 2000, John’s been the managing editor for Mediate.com, which has over 4 million visitors annually and over 3,000 articles and resources. That’s a whole lot of wisdom in one place and John’s been an important contributor to the site’s tremendous run of success.

John moved to the U.S. from South Africa in 1996 and his resume reflects the kind of leadership that will help shape our field: [Read more]

Success leaves clues: victoria pynchon

I’ve never met Victoria Pynchon in person. But I still think of her as Vickie, using the informal name I’d use with any friend. Such is the power of the Internet and blogs. Vickie is my latest interview for the Success Leaves Clues series.

First, a bit about her: After a 25-year career in complex commercial litigation and trial work, Victoria Pynchon, author of the Settle It Now Negotiation Blog and founder of the IP ADR Blog, became a full-time attorney-mediator. Victoria received her LL.M. in Conflict Resolution from the Straus Institute and her law degree from University of California at Davis King Hall School of Law. She is a neutral for the Southern California ADR firm, Judicate West and serves as a mediator on her own specialty ADR panel, Settle It Now Dispute Resolution Services.

I selected Vickie as one of my interviewees for a number of reasons. [Read more]

Success leaves clues: william warters

I’ve always thought of Bill Warters as a kindred spirit because he works in higher education, is an ADR professional, and loves and writes about innovative technologies to support our work. He blogs, too. Bill is way ahead of me on the tech front, though, which means I learn something interesting or useful every time I visit one of his sites. And when I attended his workshop at last fall’s ACR conference, I came away with head spinning from all that Bill had to offer. Bill has kindly agreed to an interview for my Success Leaves Clues series.

If you’ve not yet had the good fortune to cross paths with Bill, here’s a bit about him: Dr. William Warters is an Assistant Professor in the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution Program at Wayne State University. His work explores innovative ways to support conflict resolution knowledge and skill development, and his training and research experience involve using qualitative research approaches to explore the lived experiences of research participants. Bill’s also the author of Mediation in the Campus Community, a terrific book I most recently recommended to someone just yesterday. When I finally met Bill in person last fall, I found him to be the kind, very smart and innovative soul I had always supposed him to be. [Read more]

Success leaves clues: diane levin and geoff sharp 2

I’ve been pondering Geoff Sharp’s response to my first question in this new interview series, Success Leaves Clues. In reply to my question about the intersection of technology and the marketing and management of an ADR practice, Geoff noted that he’s seeing some practitioners who are great with flashy websites but whose skills don’t yet make the cut:

“We all need to remember that…you’ve got to have substance for what you’re selling. The intersection of managing a business, technology and marketing starts with what you do at the table…be good at the table first.”

As I listened to Geoff, I was reminded of something I’ve seen and again and again from business development coaches selling their services to people like us: [Read more]

Success leaves clues: diane levin and geoff sharp

Last week I announced a my new interview series, Success Leaves Clues. The series shares wisdom from mediators and other ADR professionals who are successful, respected, and know a thing or two about leveraging technology and the Internet to accomplish their work. I’ll post new additions to the series as I interview mediators in coming months.

It seemed fitting to start the series with two mediators whose work I admire, whose use of the Internet is leading edge, whose generosity of spirit is noteworthy, and who are just great fun: [Read more]

Success leaves clues: the mediator interview series

Success leaves clues. It’s a great phrase. Personal success giants like Tony Robbins and marketing authors like John Stanton have been using it for years.

And it seems a fitting name for a new series of interviews I’ve begun with mediators around the globe. Starting next week, I’ll share wisdom from mediators and other ADR professionals who are successful, respected, and know a thing or two about leveraging technology and the Internet to accomplish their work.

And I’ll add to this series periodically. You can find the most recent interviews anytime by clicking the “Success Leaves Clues” link under Topics in the site’s sidebar.

I’ll begin the series by asking five successful ADR professionals to consider the following questions: [Read more]