WHY PEOPLE WANT TO LEARN MEDIATION SKILLS

As I’m about to start a new class for mediators, I’m always curious as to why people want to learn this skill. 

I took the time to review several sets of applications and from that limited sample noticed some trends. 

Attorneys taking the course who did not have such training during law school, generally take it to add mediation to their practice. 

By comparison, non-attorneys have a broad range of reasons:

• Many work for a public service agency and have some idea of what mediation is and feel having these skills would help them better serve their clients’ needs. 

• Some work at various businesses, and while they are less likely to have an understanding of what mediation is, they’re motivated to learn dispute resolution skills that can be applied within their company. 

• A small number are taking the class as the first step in seeking employment or a career in some aspect of dispute resolution. 

• And several are looking for volunteer opportunities. Many will volunteer in Small Claims Court mediation programs to serve their communities. I remember a retired police detective in his third year as a volunteer told me he would pay for the opportunity to do so. He felt as a mediator he was doing more for his community than he had for years on the force. And, as he said, “You can only play so much golf.” 

I also reviewed the end of class evaluations to see if people felt they had met their objectives. One told me he loved the class but realized he could never be a mediator “because I can’t stop telling people what to do.” 

Almost all commented on how they immediately applied mediation skills to their family disputes and for that alone the class was a positive experience.