Vivian Scott is a mediator based out of Washington. She has conducted hundreds of mediations and is experienced in a variety of conflict areas including workplace negotiations, family law, real estate issues and others. Vivian also does conflict coaching. She has received several mediation awards and is the author of Conflict Resolution at Work For Dummies and a contributing author of Thriving in the Workplace For Dummies.

Vivian's website is at http://www.vivianscottmediation.com.  

She also blogs on http://blogs.bothell-reporter.com/conflictsofinterest.

1.       What motivated you to become a mediator? How did it all start for you?

I had just left a career in high-tech and decided to get a bachelors in American Studies (which had nothing to do about business and everything to do about creativity!).  The last week of my last class a woman who had briefly worked on a project with me asked what I was going to do with my new diploma and when I told her that the journey had been my goal she said, “I think you would make a great mediator.”  I had no idea why she thought that, what a mediator was, or what she expected me to do with that information.  She went on to say that a local DRC had come to her workplace a few years ago and had presented a workplace mediation training.  She was going to see if she had any of the materials around so she could share them with me.  On the last day of the class she gave me the items and I tucked them away in a drawer because at the time I was moving into a new house and was overwhelmed with graduation, the move, etc.  Months later I stumbled across the materials, gave the DRC a call, and decided to enroll in their BMT.  Within 5 minutes of the class starting I just knew this was what I was meant to do.  I know it sounds silly like the heavens opened or angels sang, but that’s how I felt.

2.       There are a quite a number of different approaches to mediation (interest-based, transformative, narrative, protean, etc.) out there. Do you subscribe to any particular style and if so, why?

I’m a bit of a hybrid gal, but mostly I try to stick to a facilitative model.  I think it’s a good way for me to stay emotionally neutral and it reminds me that their dispute is not my dispute.  Their success or failure or resides with them.

3.       What advice would you give to someone who would like to pursue a career in alternative dispute resolution?

Don’t quit your day job!  In all seriousness most people think they can hang a shingle and the business will come.  One of the mediation community’s dirty little secrets is that we are all each other’s competition and there’s a big divide between mediators and attorney-mediators.  The craft isn’t yet to a place where we value each other’s contribution to disputes and it can be very, very difficult getting business.  And, honestly, as long as continue to volunteer our services I don’t see that changing.

4.       You hold a number of accreditations. Why is accreditation important?

It’s an obvious way to show your depth of knowledge.  In my state there’s no real career path, licensing path (like a licensed counselor), etc., so accreditation is important.  Plus, it forces you to look around and find interesting ways to learn more about mediation.

5.       You mediate in a number of different fields, such as workplace, family and real estate disputes. Do you find that those different arenas require different approaches and skill sets and if yes, what are they?

Yes, they’re slightly different.  However, if you’re a good mediator, you’re a good mediator no matter the type of case.  Workplace mediations may have more of a business negotiation feel to them but they’re still about core values when it’s all said and done.  I’ve mediated a number of foreclosure cases in the past year and those don’t often have a lot of room for creative thinking so one tends to get to the numbers faster than you would in other mediations.

Being a good mediator means you know when to shift from a process to make it work for your clients.

6.       On your website you state that you do conflict coaching. Can you tell us a bit about your approach to conflict coaching? Do you follow a certain methodology?

I love conflict coaching!  My approach is to listen to my client’s perspective and then settle on changing/impacting just one thing.  I find that when they come to me they’re pretty overwhelmed and to help unravel their situation means the world to them.  Focusing in with laser precision on something gives them the confidence they need to move to the next area.

7.       What are the biggest opportunities for ADR as a field? Are we overlooking any opportunities?

I think a big opportunity we’re struggling with is making it its own category.  We want it to be a catch-all, we want anyone to be able to do it, and we put too much stuff in the bucket we call ADR.  I’d like to see us break that cycle and put some parameters around it, create a career path, and let it stand on its own.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people say that the general public doesn’t know what it is and that’s why very few of us can make a living at it.  I think it has to do with our community’s hesitation to move it forward, define it, and then share it with the public.

8.       What are the biggest challenges facing the field currently?

See above :)

9.       How do you envision the future of mediation and alternative dispute resolution?

Again, see above :)

10.   What did we forget to ask you?

I’d have to give that some thought, but I think you pretty well covered it!

More on Vivian, a short bio and links to articles and videos can also be found on mediate.com: http://www.mediate.com/people/personprofile.cfm?auid=1084.