Jeff Thompson's Blog (156)

USIP Losing It's Funding?

The following was sent to me from ACR (I am a member) and thought it is relevant and important to pass it also along here:

As you may know, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to eliminate funding for the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) for the remainder of the fiscal year as part of a $61 billion package of budget cuts. We in ACR leadership were shocked by this action and hope for its reversal in the Senate.

USIP was created by Congress in 1984 as a… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on February 26, 2011 at 8:53am — No Comments

5 Negotiating Tips For The First Time Home Buyer

Today's post comes from one of EnjoyMediation.com's faithful reader (yes, I do have some!), Ann Douglas.

If you are interested in submitting a guest blog post, feel free to send it along to me at mediator.jeff[at]gmail.com.…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on February 20, 2011 at 3:27pm — No Comments

When Families Need Mediators (Elder Mediation)

(Originally posted at www.EnjoyMediation.com)

The Wall Street Journal published an article on February 5th, 2011 on the topic of Elder Mediation.

The second paragraph touches on an…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on February 6, 2011 at 10:30am — No Comments

Mediation Process Leaves Homeowners & Lenders Unhappy

With all the hoopla around how mediation is so grand, I thought this would be a good reality check since my blog is 'fair and balanced'. (Anyone laugh at that? Anyone??)

The Nevada Supreme Court, which oversees the Foreclosure Mediation Program, has several times in the past 18 months updated program rules in response to concerns that have arisen, but bank officials and homeowners say the program still has problems that must be addressed.

...Homeowners said the program… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on February 3, 2011 at 9:58pm — No Comments

Mediators: What If They Don't Pay?

I have been using Twitter to find some great blog postings and articles. This is how I found today's guest blogger, Kelly S. (who needs to know her last name anyway?), aka @KolorKube.

I know we all mediate and do conflict coaching because we love the work we do yet at the sametime accumulating smiles does not pay the bills.

What do you… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on January 25, 2011 at 6:11pm — 2 Comments

Mediation Rally Offers...Free Cookies!

"Hmmm, is she being evaluative here?"

(new television show on mediation debuts 01.19.11, above is the star of the show who portrays a mediator)…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on January 18, 2011 at 9:18pm — 1 Comment

Do You Debrief? Some Tips That Might Help

After reading Alex Yaroslavsky's recent blog post titled "The Value of Language," I thought about reflection and debriefing. It is something I think is very valuable and is critical…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on January 16, 2011 at 2:30pm — No Comments

Beating Skeptics

Originally posted at www.EnjoyMediation.com

Ever find yourself explaining the mediation, conflict coaching or ombuds process to people who seem to be skeptical of the process?

Okay, if you said… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on January 3, 2011 at 5:00am — No Comments

Elder-care Mediation Expands

Thanks to @Dialogicmed on Twitter for pointing out this article.

I have been noticing more articles on elder-care mediation and found this one interesting and wanted to pass it along to everyone.

By Sandra G. Boodman

Special to The Washington Post

Tuesday, December 14,…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on December 23, 2010 at 7:30pm — No Comments

CafeMediate Podcast (Video!)

In this episode:

"This is the first Cafe Mediate podcast which is also a video podcast. [http://blog.amandabucklow.co.uk/2010/12/15/new-cafe-mediate-podcast-special-festive-edition/] and Jeff's …

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Added by Jeff Thompson on December 15, 2010 at 8:30am — 3 Comments

Arbitration Parties Are People Too- Help Them Feel That Way!

This month's guest blogger is Andrew J. Gerber and he offers us the ACR-GNY Tip of the Month.

Tip of the Month for December 2010: Arbitration Parties Are People Too -- Help Them Feel That Way.

When you preside in an arbitration hearing you’ll be…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on December 13, 2010 at 8:03pm — No Comments

Yes, and: Core Concerns, Internal Mindfulness, and External Mindfulness for Emotional Balance, Lie Detection, and Successful Negotiation

I just finished reading a paper by Clark Freshman in the Nevada Law Journal. I suggest you give it a read as well as the other papers which also look interesting (SYMPOSIUM: MINDFULNESS, EMOTIONS, AND ETHICS IN LAW AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION) but I have yet to get a chance to read them.

Below I have highlighted some sections which stood out for me:

(370) All… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on December 8, 2010 at 3:30pm — No Comments

How Far Can a Smile Go?

How far can a smile go?…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on December 1, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Unexpected Leadership Lessons: Effectiveness Through Humility & Common Ground

Yet another reason to be on Twitter (follow me @ADRhub and @mediatorjeff)- I came across a retweet by conflict coach Cinnie Noble (@CINERGYCoaching) who posted the following link below. It is from David Holzmer's (@DavidHolzmer) blog and it talks about leadership qualities. For those mediators who work 'beyond neutrality' and others who work in conflict resolution, the following could be of interest:

In “Four Lesson’s in Adaptive Leadership” Professor Michael Useem makes the case… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on November 28, 2010 at 8:59am — No Comments

Coaching With Compassion Can "Light Up" Human Thoughts

Thanks to @davidrock101 I came across the following article: …

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Added by Jeff Thompson on November 24, 2010 at 8:00pm — No Comments

Not Facing Someone Makes Them Comfortable???

I went the other day to an espresso bar (yes, I am a full-on coffee/espresso snob now!) and noticed something that I had to blog on. Being the massive observer of body language and nonverbal communication that I claim to be, I noticed the two people next to me.

They were both seated next to me, and I was standing at a high table drinking my…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on November 22, 2010 at 8:00am — No Comments

Mediators To Be Fined For Body Language?

Will Mediators be the next to be fined? American football team the New York Jets will be fining star quarterback Mark Sanchez each time he slumps his shoulders, hangs his head down or trudges off the practice…

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Added by Jeff Thompson on November 6, 2010 at 3:29pm — No Comments

Mediation Work in Barcelona

Hello or more appropriately buenos dias from Barcelona, Spain. I really should be saying that in Catalan though!

I have been here for over a week thanks to the New York Interfaith Center, the NYPD and UNESCO-CAT.

I am part of an interfaith delegation from New York as part of a three year, three city trip between New York City, Barcelona and Glasgow. I was invited by the Interfaith Center of New York because of the conflict resolution and interfaith work I do on behalf of… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on October 29, 2010 at 8:37pm — No Comments

iPad Apps for Mediators

I came across a post by Steve Mehta detailing his quest to go paperless and how the iPad is helping. He lists some apps (applications) which he uses which helps him with his mediation and law practice.

Click this link to read Steve's full post and his description of each app [here].

Below… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on October 15, 2010 at 3:05pm — No Comments

Self-test: Are You A Certified A$$hole?

I am currently traveling in Australia and while in the airport in New York City, to pass time I was looking through the magazine shop for some reading material while on the short, easy 13+ hour flight. Yes, that's AFTER the 5+ hour flight to Los Angeles.

So, while deciding to get People or Star Magazine which will let me know how Heidi Montag is doing (don't know who she is? Good!) and what Kim Kardashian is up to, I came across in the best seller section the book The No A$$hole… Continue

Added by Jeff Thompson on October 5, 2010 at 7:44pm — 2 Comments