By Lynne KinnucanThe Roman god Janus, responsible for overseeing the beginnings and ends of conflicts, was also the god of transitions. As we transit into 2015, we wanted to look at what we have learned from the insights and practices of negotiators who are experienced in transitions. All of them based their work in authentic listening.
We mentioned active listening in almost every issue last year because, although it is an old practice, it is played out in ways that are always new. This month’s Corner reviews some of the comments on hostage negotiation techniques and the common root from which they spring.
Trainer and retired FBI hostage negotiator Derek Gaunt noted that deep listening is a powerful skill, but difficult to master, and he works from day one to get the active listening skills off the page and into his students’ muscle memory.
He steers them away from one of the biggest mistakes a hostage negotiator can make: using active listening skills like a robot. If a negotiator is thinking only about which skill to use next, the subject may think the negotiator doesn’t care about his problems and … how to put this ….may react badly. Negotiations have been won and lost over this skill.
Gary Noesner, retired hostage negotiator and author of Stalling for Time, expands on this:
Read more from the Crisis Negotiator Blog [HERE]
“Talk To Me”: What It Takes To Be An NYPD Hostage Negotiator
Learn about the criteria and diverse skills needed to be part of the original law enforcement hostage negotiation team
Crisis and hostage incidents are known for being stressful, unpredictable, tense, anxiety-filled, and emotionally driven.
Add to this volatile concoction is that these incidents often can involve violence that has
been threatened or having already occurred. Amidst these chaotic incidents New York City Police Department hostage negotiators emerge to provide the antidote to the ensuing turbulence. 
NYPD hostage and crisis negotiators apply a specific set of skills in a strategic manner that is based on the current context. These actions are grounded in empathy and respect that allows them work with the person in crisis towards a peaceful resolution that previously seemed impossible.
How often are the NYPD’s hostage negotiators skills tested?
The NYPD Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT) responds to more incidents in a month than most other departments throughout the country respond to in a year. In 2012 they responded to more than 400 incidents. The HNT was involved in an incident lasting more that 50 hours and included 17 different negotiators.
Read more [HERE].
Noam Ebner- Check out this introduction to our upcoming session at the ABA's Dispute Resolution conference in Seattle, courtesy of John Lande at indisputably.org. Attending the conference? Come rattle the cages with us (constructively, of course!).
How many times have you heard that mediators equalize power? Or that everything in mediation is confidential? These are just two examples of illusions that people in our field perpetuate. Why do we do it so often? This highly interactive session will discuss some of the top misconceptions about dispute resolution and use them to analyze why people in our field propagate such ideas. We won’t litigate the truth of the statements but will suggest ideas about how we can be more honest with ourselves and others about the field we love.
Fundamental Differences in Mediation Philosophies
Dan Simon- I practice transformative mediation. And I believe that would I do is essentially a different process from those who practice Facilitative mediation. The latest blog contains a conversation that is typical of the ones I have with other mediators.
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