Customer Reviews

The Mediator's Handbook

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As a trainer of community mediators, I am often asked to suggest books on the subject. One book I definitely recommend is Jennifer Beer's Mediator's Handbook -- and it is also a book I often go back to myself. It's like having a smart, experienced and helpful colleague available whenever I want, whether for specific problem solving or for more general inspirational conversation!

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) has received lots of attention over the last decade or so, and I'd like it to receive more. Here's a good place to start.

As an [ahem] older law student, I recently signed up to participate in a mediation program through a local courthouse. As I looked around for helpful references, my eye fell naturally on this modern classic by Jennifer Beer. Continuously in print since 1982 and now in its third edition, it's probably _the_ book that did most to teach the American public how to "do" mediation.

It's full of nuts-and-bolts advice on everything from what to say to where to put the chairs. And it's got something some other mediation books lack: a sense of the "spirituality" of mediation.

For the techniques in this volume grew out of the Friends Conflict Resolution Programs (FCRP). And the Religious Society of Friends ("Quakers") is pretty good at conflict resolution.

(It's those "meetings." Some readers may know that in the early days of the United States, a half-century of so before the Emancipation Proclamation, the Friends unilaterally, voluntarily, and unanimously freed every last one of their slaves -- and paid them to boot, if I'm not mistaken. And anybody who has ever attended a Quaker meeting will understand why, even if they've never heard of John Woolman.)

I've got quite a few Quakers in my family tree, so I'm pleased by this approach. But it's very understated and mostly behind the scenes, so the casual reader will notice only that the book has a certain mood or tone.

What's really going on is that the mediation advice herein is implicitly predicated on the presumption that people are competent to settle their own disputes because each of them has "that of God" within. And the extraordinary sensitivity of the advice is based firmly on Quaker sensibilities: namely, respect for the individual conscience as the very voice of God, and a profound belief in the power of _listening_ both to others and to oneself.

The result is a book of advice on mediation that looks an awful lot like a book on how to grasp the "sense of a meeting." Even beyond the nuts and bolts, the "flavor" of the book will itself help the reader get a feel for what mediation is all about. That's a nice feature in a book on ADR, and it's no wonder Beer's book has been in print for so long.

Allan Goodman's _Basic Skills for the New Mediator_ is a good companion volume, by the way. His book is more aimed at people who do mediation in "courtlike" settings, whereas Beer's is for pretty much any context (including workplace and family, both of which she discusses). The two together are a powerful combination of resources, arguably surpassing many more expensive books on the subject.

And for a good history of the subject of ADR, see Linda Singer's _Settling Disputes_, which I've also reviewed.

I am a mediator, arbitrator, and trainer. The Mediator's Handbook is a welcome addition to my library. It is filled with practical advice,theoretical information, wonderful charts, and the nuts and bolts of mediation. I am sure every mediator, new or experienced, will benefit from this book. I recommend that every mediator skim the "Mediator's Handbook" as well as "Basic Skills for the New Mediator" by Allan H. Goodman (which I purchased at the same time) before every mediation.

Continuously in print for fifteen years, The Mediator's Handbook provides a time-tested, flexible model for effective mediation in diverse environments and situations. Jennifer Beer is a creative thinker. Don't expect dry advice you already understand. Expect to be stimulated and challenged.

As a mediator and one who trains others how to mediate, I highly recommend this clearly written,comprehensive mediation handbook. I have yet to see a more practical book on mediation skills.

I have purchased over 200 copies of this book in the past 2-3 years -- I include it with my own materials for a basic mediation class I teach for Ohio's oldest community mediation center. While I don't teach out of the book per se (it's not a teaching manual), it is an excellent companion to the class and one participants can refer to months or years after being trained.

Some of the strong many strengths of The Mediator's Handbook:

* The facilitative approach makes it appropriate for court mediators, community, youth/peer and as an intro to those who will do family cases. It presents a good balance of party communication and tools to help parties reach lasting agreements.
* The 7 step phases of the process are clearly explained.
* The specific questions to ask at various points in the process are excellent (p.106)
* The last section has mediator evaluations, confidentiality forms, form letters to send to interested parties and other useful tools to use in your practice.

I highly recommend this as a basic intro book - its easy to read, complete yet not overly wordy or theoretical.

This was used as a course textbook in an introductory ADR class, and I think it serves that purpose well. A great book for those new to ADR and mediation that clearly outlines the purpose and procedures of mediation. This text does not really discuss the psychological motivations behind party behavior except for briefly touching on cultural patterns. The focus is on the process.

The topics are dealt with step-by-step, and while the illustrations aren't necessary, especially for university-level courses or professionals, this is still a great textbook that adequately covers the role of the mediator and all the steps in mediation as well as tips for how to move the process along and recognize problems.

This is an excellent working guide to mediation for those without prior training. Well worth the price, especially if used in conjunction with a course designed to use it!

The book gives an easy to follow and pracical overview of mediation. I purchased the book as a used item and found it to be in excellent condition. It arrived in 4 working days from USA to Ireland. Well done to Amazon.com

The Mediator's Handbook is easy to read, wonderfully specific, and well organized. Of all the books on mediation I consulted, this is by far the most practical and user-friendly. Not didactic, not stuffy, it contains useful forms and examples for anyone trying to start a mediation program at work, school, or other venues.
It's a keeper!