"Most people know what to say.
The hard part is knowing how to say it."
Practical articles on the conversations that shape your career, your relationships, and your confidence. Written by someone who spent 30 years learning to get them right.
No theory. No jargon. Every article gives you frameworks you can use today, at work, at home, and in every relationship that matters.
19 min audio Mediating between a corporation and an individual is one of the hardest balancing acts in conflict resolution. This article gives you a structured, step-by-step process for managing the power gap, keeping both parties engaged, and reaching agreements that actually hold.
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18 min audio Managing mediation across a large extended family requires more than good intentions. This article gives you a structured, seven-step process for mapping sub-conflicts, sequencing conversations, and guiding multiple parties toward workable agreements without letting the process collapse under its weight.
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17 min audio When criminal charges intersect with a civil dispute, mediation becomes significantly more complex. This article gives mediators a clear, step-by-step process for managing the legal boundaries, emotional intensity, and communication risks that define these high-stakes sessions.
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20 min audio Estate disputes carry grief, resentment, and money in the same room. This guide gives mediators a clear, step-by-step process for separating living grievances from legal matters, managing emotional escalation, and reaching durable agreements when a deceased person's wishes stand at the centre of the conflict.
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19 min audio Mediation in correctional and institutional settings demands a different level of preparation, neutrality, and skill than most workplace conflict. This article gives practitioners a clear, step-by-step process for conducting mediation where tensions run deep and the margin for error is small.
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16 min audio Mediation does not end when the agreement is signed. The emotional aftermath is where resolutions either take root or quietly fall apart. This article gives mediators a clear, practical process for supporting parties through the hours and days that follow a difficult session.
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17 min audio Complex disputes feel impossible because every issue bleeds into the next. This article walks you through chunking: a practical mediation method for separating tangled issues into distinct segments, so you can guide each party toward resolution without the whole conversation collapsing under its own weight.
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19 min audio When a minor child's wellbeing hinges on a dispute between adults, mediation demands more than standard technique. This article gives mediators a clear, ordered process for protecting a child's indirect interests without overstepping, taking sides, or collapsing under the emotional weight of the room.
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20 min audio When a party in mediation loses control verbally, the right words can restore calm and keep the process alive. This article provides six word-for-word scripts for mediators facing explosive anger, with standard and formal versions, notes on delivery, and guidance on adaptation.
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21 min audio The C.O.R.E. Framework gives mediators a four-stage system for structuring sessions from opening to close. This article teaches each stage in full, with scripts, a decision guide, and worked examples drawn from Chapter 2 of Say It Right Every Time.
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21 min audio When parties in conflict resort to accusations, skilled mediators use the S.B.I. Method to reframe personal attacks as observable behavior statements. This article teaches the full six-step process, common pitfalls mediators face, and a ready-to-use field checklist for your next session.
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17 min audio Anchoring and bracketing are two of the most powerful techniques a mediator can use to move parties from fixed positions toward workable agreement. This article explains both techniques, how to sequence them, and the exact language to use at each step.
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17 min audio When one party enters mediation determined to win, the whole process breaks down fast. This article gives mediators a clear, numbered process for managing competitive behaviour, shifting the dynamic, and moving toward an agreement that actually holds.
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17 min audio Mediating conflict in a tight-knit community is harder than any formal setting. When everyone knows each other, bias, loyalty, and shared history complicate every step. This guide gives you a concrete mediation process built for exactly that reality, with scripts and a ready-to-use preparation checklist.
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18 min audio Mediating intellectual property and creative ownership disputes requires more than fairness. It requires understanding why creators attach identity to their work. This guide walks through a clear, step-by-step process for resolving these disputes before they fracture teams and relationships permanently.
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21 min audio Restorative justice within mediation shifts the focus from blame to repair. This article explains five structured frameworks that mediators can apply to rebuild trust, restore relationships, and move people from positions of harm toward genuine accountability and resolution.
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18 min audio Anonymous and online complaints create unique challenges for mediation: you cannot verify tone, confirm intent, or read body language. This article gives mediators a clear, step-by-step process for handling these complaints fairly, protecting all parties, and reaching genuine resolution.
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18 min audio Neighbor property disputes harden fast, and most mediators walk in underprepared. This article gives you a clear, tested process for mediating between neighbors, including what to set up beforehand, the steps to follow, and the mistakes that sink otherwise good efforts.
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15 min audio Narcissistic personality patterns in disputing parties can derail even experienced mediators. This article explains how those patterns operate under the surface, why they resist standard mediation techniques, and what skilled mediators can do differently to hold the process together.
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17 min audio Balancing directive and non-directive mediation styles within a single session is one of the hardest skills a mediator can master. This article gives you a clear, numbered process for reading the room, shifting your approach, and keeping both parties moving toward resolution.
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17 min audio A mediation agreement that courts recognize requires precise language, clear terms, and proper structure. This guide walks you through every essential element, from identifying the parties to securing enforceable signatures, so your agreement stands when it matters most.
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18 min audio Mediating across a language barrier requires a distinct set of skills. This article walks you through a practical, step-by-step process for working with an interpreter during mediation, including preparation, pacing, common errors, and a ready-to-use session checklist.
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16 min audio Losing neutrality in mediation is common, subtle, and correctable. This article explains how to spot the early warning signs that your impartiality has slipped, and gives you a clear, numbered process for recalibrating before the dispute deepens beyond repair.
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17 min audio Mediating a dispute between business partners is harder than resolving ordinary workplace conflict. The stakes are higher, the history runs deeper, and both people must keep working side by side. This article gives you a clear, ordered process to guide that conversation with confidence.
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