In September I am co-hosting the Mediation Business Summit with Tammy Lenski . We are really looking forward to it. We have some great small business coaches and consultants lined up to help conflict resolution professionals take their business to the next level.

I'm not very technical...

Since we announced the telesummit we have had a lot of questions about how it will work over the three days and some questions about using the teleseminar format. So we have decided to run a free demo and Q&A session on Wednesday 4th August where you can try it out and ask questions about the event.

Tammy and I think it will be a great opportunity to connect with anyone attending and anyone thinking about attending.

So head over to the Mediation Business Summit site to register for the free teleseminar.

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Denise Wakeman speaker at the Mediation Business Summit

If you search for “how to build a business blog” then the very first site listed on Google.com is www.buildabetterblog.com a blog hosted by Denise Wakeman. I’m not surprised because Denise has been practising what she preaches for a very long time. In fact, Denise has (at least) three blogs: Biz Tips Blog , Build a Better Blog and Denise Wakeman – The Blog Squad . Each has a different focus and each is crammed with useful content which can be easily assimilated and implemented by the newcomer and the experienced blogger alike.

I am in awe of how frequently and consistently Denise posts savvy and engaging ideas about building your online presence through blogging and how to build your blog through integration with Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. When you read what she writes on any of these platforms, you soon get a sense of her energy, credibility and her personality.

I am sure these are qualities that every mediator and ADR professional would like to be known for, online and offline. Denise says that blogging is the one way you can present a public persona that is ‘congruent and authentic’ and then she tells you how to do that.

Dig a little deeper into Denise’s online presence and you will find a great ebook produced by the Personality Project called Women of Personality. A Compilation of 40 Extraordinary Women Sharing Their Stories of Success. It is now in its second edition and Denise is featured as one of the 40 extraordinary women. In the book, Denise talks about how she is naturally a ‘behind the scenes person’ and that until she started her own business, that was the way she liked it. I remembered how ‘behind the scenes’ I liked to be when I started out in my own business, and like Denise, I instinctively jumped on the internet when there were not so many people to talk to, very few had an email address and all we had was a shaky 56k modem. Like her, I just knew this internet thing was a place I wanted to be.

Looking back, I started blogging via telex in 1984, with a weekly newsletter and analysis about my industry and it allowed me to “get in front of” influential people in my organisation without the scary part. Looking back, it worked and probably because I thought it was only being read by a few people that I knew very well. I had no idea that people were distributing it much more widely and if I had I probably would have clammed up! Just occasionally, ignorance is bliss.

Today it’s different. The ‘noise’ out there is much greater and for some starting out or looking to take their business to the next level it can be overwhelming. So much so, some people just don’t know where to start. One of the challenges is personal marketing and branding.

In starting her own business Denise realised that

Being the sole person in my business put me in a new position. I had to be “out there”. And the internet helped me do that. I wasn’t shy online.

I think many of us feel shy about marketing ourselves. It is so much easier to do it for others! Marketing is the number one challenge I talk about with people who contact me wanting to know how I managed to build my practice. The good news is that the social media tools that we have today allow you to do both: market yourself and market others.

It is one thing to read what people write and to get a sense of their expertise and the effectiveness of their advice and experience. It is even better to hear them for yourself. That’s why Tammy Lenski and I have brought together our choice of the best and most relevant  business management, marketing and social media voices from inside and outside the dispute resolution world. This is our selection of people who have impressed us with their energy, credibility and personality and who know how to communicate their expertise in a way which is relevant for building a successful conflict resolution practice.

The Mediation Business Summit is accessible via web and telephone from 16 – 18 September 2010.

If you haven’t signed up yet, then you are missing out on some great free gifts to get you started. There are two from Denise: an audio chapter from her renowned programme: How Drive Quality Traffic to Your Blog ($97 value) and a bonus chapter with 19 specific tactics for driving traffic to your blog. These will be available to you as soon as you have completed the sign up process. And you can grab your badge too.

See you at the summit!

Mediation Business Summit 16 - 18 September 2010

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Disappearing Bust of Voltaire by Salvador Dali 1941 - may need to squint to see the ambiguity

Apparently, God did indeed bless the Irish not least with a love of ambiguity which is seen as key to future innovation, according to a recently published research on siliconrepublic.com. Hat tip to @3keyscoach for the link via Twitter this week.

Results from a sample of 117 Irish executives and entrepreneurs indicated a substantial bias towards right-brained cognition when compared with international norms.

Right-brained thinking, towards which the sample showed a preference, includes attributes such as intuition, the ability to make seemingly unrelated connections and tolerance of ambiguity. Ambiguity and the ability to hold incongruent ideas without stress is regarded as inherent to entrepreneurial activity because start-up businesses are often original, innovative ideas that require people who can think laterally and see the bigger picture.

These attributes also appeared frequently in my research into the profile of an effective mediator.

It also reminds me of a story from my very early career. I had just left university and was working in my family’s business. I was given the “deadly” job of credit control. There was a large amount outstanding from a household name and no one had been able to get to the bottom of it and so I saw this as a way to impress my father who was decidedly difficult to impress.

I did hours of research and number crunching and finally, I found where the error was. Rather pleased, I rang the accounts department of said household name company which was in Ireland. I went through the steps with the accounts lady that I had carefully prepared and which I thought would lead her to the same realization. And then they would send me a cheque.

It took about 20 minutes and at the end she said to me in a very calm and sincere tone

Is this money we owe you or money you owe us?

That was not quite the end of the conversation but very nearly. I was floored. When I told my father he simply roared with laughter and retold the story many times. So I guess I got to impress him if not in the way I had intended! I thought that I had not explained myself very well but perhaps it was the Irish love of ambiguity.

For more on entrepreneurship, innovation and creative business skills, check out the Mediation Business Summit

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I am as devastated by and as concerned about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as even the “greenest of the green”. I am equally disturbed by the relentless hate machine that has gathered pace. It is as if the reality of the disaster has been subsumed in a global fixation of blame and nasty rhetoric. Does anyone else feel the same?

Cleaning off the oil is a long job.

On a recent trip to Greece I photographed a beautiful bird who had obviously been caught up in an oil spill somewhere, possibly not the same one, but who knows. I watched this lovely creature, spirited and persistent, try to clean itself and I felt helpless. The locals were feeding it, and it seemed to be “getting there” but how I wished I had the where with all to clean it properly and help it back to independence.

Against the background of a really beautiful port with clean water it was hard to imagine the devastation some 4000 miles away, but imagine it I did.

We can’t imagine all the consequences but one thing I do know is that the people who work for BP are human beings, with faults and shortcomings and there are many more people affected than just the few at the top; all BP employees are dealing with the consequences of this disaster and I am sure that there will be those suffering real abuse.

The proportion of the available resources now being diverted to defend the reputation of the company is, to my mind, a direct consequence of the attacks and backlash – the “hate BP tirade”. BP exists because we need oil. Whatever story we tell ourselves we are all responsible for the disaster. Nothing comes without risks.

We all carry the responsibility for the oil spill. Anyone who travels by bus, train or plane, uses cosmetics, enjoys their iPod, cleans their house or carries their groceries home in a plastic carrier bag is part of the story. We cannot distance ourselves from the consequences of consumer products nor should we lash out at companies that make a profit from servicing our needs and pile on the agony simply because it is a convenient focus for general discontent. Attacking people makes them less likely to be transparent.

There are difficult decisions to be made and I for one would rather BP spend the money on looking after the natural world than buying keywords so they can manage the media. They must manage the media else a very large employer and significant part of many pension portfolios will suffer. That means countless “(wo)men in the street”.

The conflict between safety and commercial success is an endless challenge for many industries. From my own experience, the oil industry has lead the field in safety leadership for many years. We owe a good deal of our knowledge about behaviour at work from the research that oil companies were prepared to invest in and each and every one of us has benefited from that learning and investment. If you have traveled on a train in the UK – that means you.

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Photo by Darwin Bell

In the latest episode of Cafe Mediate, Tammy Lenski, Jeff Thompson and I discuss the nature of isolation in our practice of mediation and dispute resolution.

It is apparent from the laughter we share and the descriptions of “isolation” that any isolation we experience is more solitude as part of independence than loneliness.  A solitude that comes from a conscious choice for our independent practice in matters that are confidential.

Solitude is the state of being alone without being lonely. It is a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself. Solitude is desirable, a state of being alone where you provide yourself wonderful and sufficient company.

Solitude is a time that can be used for reflection, inner searching or growth or enjoyment of some kind. Deep reading requires solitude, so does experiencing the beauty of nature. Thinking and creativity usually do too.

Solitude suggests peacefulness stemming from a state of inner richness. It is a means of enjoying the quiet and whatever it brings that is satisfying and from which we draw sustenance. It is something we cultivate. Solitude is refreshing; an opportunity to renew ourselves. In other words, it replenishes us. Psychology Today

Our work involves being with people (often large groups) who need us to be totally focused on them , very calm with lots of energy to manage long days. Solitude is a positive part of the way we work and it seems we all have strategies for making sure that the balance is right and that we have peers and close colleagues to share important conversations.

I am sure some of our speakers at the Mediation Business Summit will be addressing the nature of isolation in being an entrepreneur.

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I learned the power of a talking stick many years ago. It was one of the most important insights into good conversation I ever had. I have used one in mediations and I would like to use one more often – simply because it works every time. I know my colleague Alan Limbury in Australia will shout “here! here!” if he reads this. Alan has the most beautiful aboriginal talking stick which he takes with him everywhere. I have asked him to find me one just like it but I know they generally find their way to you, rather than the other way around! When the right one finds it’s way to me it might be made of cedar wood.

Here is a video of Dr Stephen Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) explaining why he thinks using a talking stick is amazing.

We have just 250 tickets for the first ever business summit tailored specifically for conflict resolution professionals and registration is now open.

This is a not-to-be-missed marketing and business development event which is innovative and affordable fits the bill perfectly for those who wish to refocus or kick-start their ADR practice.

11 remarkable speakers have been carefully selected by Tammy and me for their engaging style, knowledge and experience which, from our experience, we believe is directly relevant to building a strong business in our field.

When I started my full-time mediation practice in the mid 90’s, I wish there had been this kind of resource to get me going; to challenge and support my thinking about how, what and why. It is great to be a pioneer but sometimes it is equally rewarding to build on what others have done and miss out on the not so great learning experiences!

This is a unique opportunity to hear what other pioneers have done and take the best and most relevant advice to build your own unique brand and business which speaks to your own strengths.

Do join us and register now. On completing your sign-up you will receive a fantastic collection of bonus gifts from our speakers to introduce you to their great advice and perspective on building a business in a digital world.

The challenge for many ADR professionals is that offering your services is a business. The assumption for many is that if I hang out a shingle, they will come….NOT. The advice is to get real clear about who your target audience is, and that is NOT everyone, and what you are specifically offering. Then think through what your marketing strategy will be to target your referral sources. You might very well need to invest in a good business coach to get you focused.

Great advice from Pattie Porter in a recent interview with Tammy Lenski on Making Mediation your Day Job.  Pattie is a seasoned ADR professional who has made friends with social media and built a successful business in this increasingly competitive field. Do read the rest of the interview for some really helpful clues as to how Pattie has made her mark in the field of conflict coaching. The profile is part of a series that Tammy has started called “success leaves clues” and I look forward to the next one.

If you are interested in other tips and advice on building a business including great advice from many top business coaches then sign up for our Mediation Business Summit teleconference in September, the first of it’s kind and will be hosted by Tammy and me. Whether you are a mediator, arbitrator, collaborative lawyer, coach or trainer, you are bound to find some really valuable signposts on how to develop your unique business.

Today was a good day for mediation in the UK.

Today was not a good day for BA customers especially those with travel plans from Heathrow to a European destination next Friday. I am one of them.

Photo: A Bucklow

The Court of Appeal decision handed down today may have been a bit of a surprise for some and the appeal story may not yet be over as BA are considering an application to the Supreme Court. Rejecting the early ruling of the High Court on Monday, two Court of Appeal Judges decided that

it would be wrong to thwart the desire of staff to take strike action on the basis of a “technicality”.

A third judge, the Master of the Rolls, Lord Neuberger, agreed with BA.

However, the most important comment, which has been included in all the reports I have seen today was this:

Lord Judge, the Lord Chief Justice, stressed that the strike would have to be resolved by negotiation. He said: “Legal processes do not constitute mediation. On the contrary they often serve to inflame rather than mollify the feelings of those involved.”

Hear! Hear!

I am very encouraged by this and I sincerely hope that both sides will find the courage to close the gap so that BA can get on with rebuilding their business.

For a longer report published in the Independent Newspaper.

… one of the hidden powers of humanity – if you can gather a room full of people who WANT to make a breakthrough, have open minds and hearts, and, provide the right catalysts to stir up all that desire and create an atmosphere of trust by the power of their own passion, you can move a lot of mountains (and even convert a lot of skeptics). Terry Starbucker on the recent SOBCon2010

I saw this quote and thought how well it also describes the best experience of mediation and creative problem solving.

Terry Starbucker is a founder of SOBCon (Successful and Outstanding Bloggers Conference) together with Liz Strauss.  Liz is one of our speakers at the Mediation Business Summit.

Liz wrote a great post with Sally Hogshead about being “Good Greedy in a Good Way For Your Brand”. Well worth stopping by her blog to read about engaging with people who make you feel like growing.

Put “finding people who make you feel like growing” together with “open minds and hearts and the power of their own passion” and you have something of a recipe for ‘breakthrough’.

Sign up for notification when registration opens

Fellow mediator and conflict resolution professional Tammy Lenski and I will co-chair the first Mediation Business Summit between 16 and 18 September 2010. We have a phenomenal line up of top flight business, social media and marketing professionals from inside and outside the dispute resolution field. Their experience and advice will be delivered over three days via teleconference and will provide comprehensive resources and information to kick start your assessment and planning of what you need to do to build your independent conflict resolution practice in a digital world.

Our stellar line up includes

• New York Times bestselling author and highly acclaimed speaker Michael Port, keynoting with “Book Yourself Solid: Getting More Clients Even If You Hate Marketing”
• Liz Strauss, one of the most influential blogging voices in the world, on “Being Irresistible: Turning Visitors into Fiercely Loyal Fans”
• David Pearl, creative confidante to CEOs and boards worldwide (and former opera singer), on “From Peacemaker to Rainmaker”
• Denise Wakeman, highly respected online marketing advisor and co-founder of the Blog Squad, on “Three Critical Tactics for Business Blog Success”
• Investment banker and business strategist Carol Roth on “I Wanted to Be a Mediator But Woke Up an Entrepreneur! Understanding the Business of Mediation”
• Networker extraordinaire Phil Gerbyshak on “Building a Powerful Network One Relationship at a Time”
• Web designer and social media consultant Char Polanosky answering all your website questions with “Website Essentials”
• Charles Green, acclaimed speaker, author and advisor on building trusted advisor relationships in the marketplace, on “Trust-Based Selling”
• And three successful voices from the ADR world in a panel presentation to close the event on International Peace Day: Diane Levin, Cinnie Noble, and Neil Denny

Since 1990 it is estimated that UK based mediators have mediated cases worth a total of £40 billion with £5.1 billion during 2009. By achieving early resolution of cases that would otherwise have proceeded through litigation, the commercial mediation profession will save businesses around £1.4 billion in wasted management time, damaged relationships, lost productivity and legal fees during 2010.

This is one of the conclusions drawn from The Fourth Mediation Audit published by CEDR last week.

Mediation works, we deliver value and business needs us but the full-time practice of mediation is still in the hands of a few. The number making mediation a full-time occupation is growing, albeit slowly but is set to increase significantly over the next couple of years.

If you have been thinking about developing your independent practice and want to be part of this growth, then the Mediation Business Summit is your first port of call. Check out the speakers and sign up for notification of when registration opens.