UIA World Forum of Mediation CentresPrague, Czech Republic

7th-8th June, 2013

Mining the Minds of Mediators – Part 1

Zoe Giannopoulou, PhDAttorney at Law, Accredited Mediator by the Greek Ministry of Justice

ADR Accredited Mediator, UK Accredited MediatorInternational Academy of Alternative Dispute Resolution, USA Accredited Mediator

Harvard Law School, Negotiation Institute, Mediation TrainingMata UK (Advanced Mediation Training)

Member of ADRg UK International Training FacultyAccredited Trainer The Toolkit Company, The Netherlands

be realistic1

You will not be an overnight phenomenon

Clients will come because of well-earned reputation

It will take between 1-2 years to make a reasonable living

Keep your day-job

Work part-time

Preserve time for mediation business development

Plan your work. Work your plan.2

Acquire training, experience & public awareness

Prepare a strategic, a financial & a marketing plan

Write a short essay to yourself3

Why do I want to be a mediator?

What do I hope to accomplish?

What will I use my mediation skills to do?

How will my background contribute to my future practice in mediation?

Do I need a steady paycheck, or do I prefer to be self-employed?

Do I want to mediate full-time, part-time, or as an adjunct service to my

existing career?

Do I want to be paid for my services, or to mediate as a volunteer?

Write your mediator bio4

Read 20-30 different mediators’ bios

Pick the best & create your template

Use relevant expertise from negotiating business deals or litigating cases

Honesty & commitment to the process are the essential attributes of any

successful mediator

Build relationships

with other mediators5

Join & participate in the community of ADR practitioners

Exchange knowledge, debate ideas & contribute to the conversation

Learn and Network at Trainings & Conferences6

Try role playing

Get a quick overview of the field at conferences

Take workshops with leading trainers

Invest in the best training or education

possible7

Find out your country’s training requirements

Select a training program with: Ongoing supportMentoringAdvanced mediation trainingOpportunities to mediate

Continuing education is critical to your professional development

View every interaction with others as an

opportunity to advance the field8

Educate new acquaintances about the work we do

Have that elevator speech ready

Build public awareness of the value of mediation and create positive

associations

Social Networks9

Develop a professional presence on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter

Create a website that describes your business & highlights skills or specialties

Develop a strategy to differentiate your business

Create a blog to answer common questions

PracticePracticePractice10

Volunteer to mediate

Join or create an ADR group in your own organization

Join internal educational programs to sharpen skills and make the firm aware of

your skills as a mediator and ADR specialist

…and finallybe persistent &

patient

Remember.Patience is a virtue

but Persistence gets things done!