In the event of disputes – whether commercial disputes, patent or contract disputes, finding an experienced mediator can help you reach a mutually agreed resolution and amicable dispute settlement without involving the courts. Mediation is a dynamic and structured form of alternative conflict resolution like an arbitrator, whose success depends on the reliability, skills, and experience of a mediator.
Experienced mediators have in-depth knowledge when it comes to conflict resolution and a track record of successful agreements can significantly increase the reputation. However, building a successful meditation practice requires more than just being skillful in the process and having a good reputation.
If you are a mediator, it’s important to challenge yourself in all areas by embracing new and more efficient ways of doing things to not only build your career but also improving yourself. Here are some of the things you can do for self-improvement as well as improving your services.
1. Re-defining and realizing your practice
To come into the full realization of your practice you need to sit back and begin to realize it from a neutral voice without sounding salesy. Review how far you’ve come, the type and number of cases you’ve handled – both successful and unsuccessful dispute settlements. What type of cases do you major in? And what are the limitations of your service?
You will also need to review your pre-mediation assessment process and opening remarks to see if they still in line with the vision you have for your practice. These are some of the elements that define you as the mediator. What measures have you taken to handle ethical dilemmas that normally occur when the codes don’t cover every issue on the table? Lastly, you need to clearly define the situations that would lead to the canceling of a mediation process.
2. Participate in simulated mediation sessions
As the old saying goes “practice makes perfect” this is absolutely true and necessary for any experienced mediator. Role-playing effectively in structured simulated mediation will get you out of your comfort zone, stretch your limits as well as connect with like-minded individuals in the same field. Allow yourself into extreme situations to learn different scenarios and understand what could have worked better.
Most of what you’ll learn in mediation is through practice as opposed to what you learned in class. During simulated dispute sessions you can choose to play the role of a party or trying fitting into an attorney’s shoes and this gives you a better perspective of things and offers so many invaluable insights to improve your services.
3. Know your strengths and potential
Another way to improve yourself and have a positive impact on your mediation skills is by becoming self-aware. This means being able to understand your emotions, habits, attitude, thoughts, intuitive response and biased judgments. The conscious effort of self-awareness will uncover your personality and you will be in a better position to tell when you’re evoked emotionally, and how that influences your decision making and mediation skills.
Self-awareness will make you feel better but importantly, you’ll be able to perform better in and off-mediation table. You become a better person by being consciously aware of yourself.
4. Find yourself a support system and network
Working in this field can be a fairly lonely journey. Oftentimes those close to us, family, friends and colleagues, may fail to grasp what we are currently facing, or even lack better advice to offer. But with a confidant or a peer mentor, you can easily find a support system that plays an important role when you face unprecedented challenges with dispute resolution or just when you need someone to talk.
Find a colleague friend whom you can share on common challenges, solutions and progress. As an experienced mediator, this improves the learning process and steers you towards being a better mediator.
5. Develop effective Theory of practice approaches
By considering the above-mentioned factors, you’ll be able to identify your mistakes and develop your own Theory of practice that will govern you on the best approaches to use in any mediation dispute. It’s only through self-awareness and self-reflection that you are able to improve your meditation practice, something experienced mediators are following.