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About the session

Much of the literature devoted to mediation concentrates on the skills mediators should have (active listening, reframing, reading nonverbal communication, identifying issues), or the models they should use (facilitative, evaluative, transformative, narrative). There are discussions about negotiation, opening statements, ethics, standards, confidentiality, shuttle negotiation and breaking deadlocks.

However, little had been written about how a mediator’s personal qualities influence the mediation process. Bowling and Hoffman’s (2003) Bringing peace into the room: how the personal qualities of the mediator impact the mediation process of conflict resolution therefore sheds some valuable light on this previously largely unexplored terrain.

In an attempt to build on Bowling and Hoffmann’s work, this presentation will identify the top 10 personal qualities most often mentioned in the mediation literature, and will describe why these are essential and significant weapons in a mediator’s armoury.  Participants will be encouraged to develop a ‘kon gres 2009 top 10 based on the qualities identified in the presentation and participants’ personal experience.

Podcasts: Listen to Helen talk about her session (7 mins) >>

Helen wrote the screenplay for the film Four of a Kind which has won awards at film festivals in the USA and Canada, and recently screened at the Nova cinema in Carlton to much acclaim. The screenplay was based on Disclosure, a play she wrote and directed that was performed at La Mama theatreas part of the 2006 Fringe Festival. Helen lives in Kensington with her husband Jim, daughter Dana and senior dog Tasha. When not ferrying Dana to her various sporting, school and social commitments, Helen spends far too much time watching television and dvds, battling Sudokus and generally musing on anything and everything.