Success as a Mediator For Dummies [Paperback]

Victoria Pynchon (Author), Joe Kraynak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 10, 2012

Everything you need to enter the exciting field of mediation

To be an effective mediator, it's essential to possess the ability to take control of contentious situations, facilitate discussion, and lead people to better solutions than those they'd be capable of reaching without your lead--all the while remaining neutral without formulating biased judgment. Success as a Mediator For Dummies helps you acquire these attributes and much more. Aspiring mediators will learn the importance of upholding an honorable reputation, the skills, personality traits, and characteristics of a good mediator, and how to effectively market a successful mediation career. Plus, you'll get practical advice about finding work in the field, realistic salary information, and tips on as tips on identifying whether you have the skills and tools to become a good mediator.

• The steps necessary to become a mediator (education, training, licensing, states-specific requirements, etc.)
• How your education and professional background can enhance your mediation work
• Sample rules and standards of conduct
• All the steps necessary to build and market a successful private practice in mediation, or flourish as a mediator in a law firm, corporation, school, or non-profit organization

Whether you have a background in law, an interest in legal careers or a desire to help your friends, neighbors, fellow workers or the members of your business or professional sphere, Success as a Mediator For Dummies gives you everything you need to enter the exciting field of mediation.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Everything you need to become a master mediator

To be an effective mediator, you need to learn and fine-tune a variety of special skills, from remaining calm and neutral, to breaking impasse, to marketing your business with diligence. Whether you have a background in law or you're brand-new to the field of conflict resolution, this guide gives you everything you need to enter the exciting world of mediation.

• Say yes to success — find out how to choose a market that holds the greatest potential for success and obtain the training to pursue that market

• Mediation strategies 101 — get a handle on the fundamental techniques used in mediating, like anchoring, framing, trust-building, brainstorming, problem-solving, and logrolling

• Put your skills to the test — take a tour of the various situations you'll have to navigate during a mediation, and how to establish and maintain your authority while also helping the parties resolve their disputes

• Drumming up business — discover how to market yourself and your services, grow your business through networking and referrals, and understand the ins and outs of the business side of mediation

Open the book and find:

• Advice on finding the perfect mediation market for you

• The required education and training

• Helpful hints to network with other mediators in the community

• The best mediation style for your dispute

• Conflict resolution styles, strategies, and tactics

• Field-tested ways to break through impasse

Learn to:

• Resolve disputes, offer advice, and facilitate discussion

• Remain neutral, calm, and in control

• Succeed as a private-practice mediator

About the Author

Victoria Pynchon is a mediator, author, speaker, negotiation trainer, consultant, and attorney with 25 years of experience in commercial litigation practice. Joe Kraynak is a professional writer who has contributed to numerous For Dummies books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (April 10, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1118078624
• ISBN-13: 978-1118078624
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #382,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Law > Administrative Law > Civil Law
  • #62 in Books > Law > Business > Arbitration, Negotiation & Mediation

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars ***A MUST READ** The Best Book On Conflict Resolution May 30, 2012

By New Yorker

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am not a mediator and have no interest in pursuing this as a career - however I found the book to be a tremendous resource for anyone even mildly interested in conflict resolution. And let's face it: every one of us has situations day to day or just one-off big moments when we need to approach something as a mediator would to resolve a dispute (or perhaps we're one of the parties involved in the dispute).

The advice is practical and there are examples from current affairs such as lessons from Occupy Wall Street, which makes it contemporary. The book provides a thorough background on the causes of conflict (differences in perception, beliefs and values) etc and how to use certain skills such as persuasion to work through disputes.

Overall an extraordinarily well-written book which is a must have for anyone's bookshelf - you never know when you'll need it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and Comprehensive Discussion of Becoming a Mediator July 23, 2012

By Gadget Man VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I highly recommend "Success as a Mediator for Dummies" for anyone who aspires to be a mediator, as well as to professional mediators. This book is very thorough in so many aspects of mediation. The discussion on the limits of "confidentiality" of the mediation process was truly enlightening...and I have been a mediator for five years. The book does an excellent job of discussing subjects like bracketing, neutrality, breaking through impasse, the importance of open-ended questions, decision tree analysis, and covering the different styles of mediation. The book also has good advice on starting a mediation practice, including various ways of establishing an online presence, from turnkey references to do-it yourself sites. I've read several books on mediation, and this one is the most comprehensive I've read to date.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A great practical guide March 28, 2012

By Christopher G. HIll

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

With my new foray into the world as a mediator, I am of course looking for all of the practical guidance that I can get. While the satisfaction of helping people resolve their disputes will be a reward in itself, I would like to make this a larger part of my construction counseling practice. Vickie's new book gives great practical advice on everything from various techniques of mediation (facilitative, evaluative and the like) to ways to make money as a mediator.

Where her prior book gave great anecdotes and stories to illustrate conflict resolution in a more general sense, her new "Dummies" book is focused exclusively on the practice of mediation. Like the other books in the "Dummies" series, it starts with a great overview and outline of the various chapters and moves forward in a manner that allows a reader like me to read it cover to cover or to find just what I'm looking for. As a newly minted mediator, the book gives me a great perspective on the future possibilities as well as giving real life ideas that I may not have thought of. I recommend it for anyone dipping a toe into the mediator pool.

That's not to say that I don't think it will help the seasoned mediator (or litigator for that matter). Many of the tips point out impasse breaking strategies aside from locking the parties in a room until they agree. Many of these tips give some great "outside the box" ideas to get the most recalcitrant parties to see the value of a settlement. The more "arrows" in the quiver of any mediator (new or old), the better in my thinking.

In short, if you are at all interested in mediation from either the advocate's or the mediator's perspective there is something in this book that will help you out.