The Mediator's Toolkit

Learn how to formulate and ask penetrating, paradigm-shifting questions for successful outcomes in any conflict

• Author is the director of O'Sullivan Solutions
• She is a member of the Mediators' Institute of Ireland
• She has delivered conflict and mediation training with the US-based group Lawyers Without Borders
• This is the first book written about mediators' questions - a key tool for successful mediation
• The author has developed the "S Questions Model", a toolkit of the kinds of questions that can be asked of disputing parties in various contexts
• The book covers the theory behind the questions types, why they are asked, how they work, when they are used, and how they are built and applied
• It provides detailed training on how to ask the strategic, powerful, incisive questions that are needed to challenge and change thinking and perspectives
• Shows the reader how to work safely and with integrity in highly emotional mediation contexts
• The author's instructional video on YouTube has had over 40,000 views
• Intended Audience: Mediators;lecturers and trainers in mediation;lawyers;coaches;facilitators;counsellors, police officers and peace keepers

International:

• Author lives in Castlegregory, County Kerry, Ireland
• She is a member of the mediator's institute of Ireland
• She has worked as a mediator and trainer in Cuba, Palestine, UK, Serbia, North Ireland, Romania and Berlin
• Countries that have strong history in mediation are: Canada, US, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK
• In the European Union, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Spain have or are implementing mediation laws

Learn how to formulate and ask penetrating, paradigm-shifting questions for successful outcomes in any conflict.

Knowing how to formulate and ask incisive questions to get to the core of a conflict, challenge entrenched thinking, and shift perspectives are the main challenge for mediators and the key to successful conflict resolution.

The Mediator's Toolkit employs the author's powerful "S Questions Model," to provide readers with the skills and tools to develop and ask strategic questions that result in successful outcomes in any context. The S Questions Model tool kit dives into four dimensions of successful questions for mediation: the subject matter dimension, the structure dimension, the information seeking dimension, and the shifting thinking dimension. The tool kit clearly explains:

• The theory behind each question type, including exploration of relevant neuroscience and psychology
• The purpose of different types of questions
• How the questions work
• When to use different types of questions
• How to build and apply questions to mediation in a non-threatening way.

This essential practical guide will radically sharpen, focus, and improve the questioning skills of qualified mediators, students, lecturers, trainers, and those using questions to challenge and effect change, in any context.

Acknowledgments
Glossary

Introduction
     Book Content
     Terminology
     Sequences of Questions

SECTION I: The S Questions Model — Theory
Chapter 1: Introduction and Purpose of the S Questions Model
     The S Questions Model
     Premise on Which the S Questions Model Has Been Developed
     Outline Summary of the Model
     The S Questions Model
     The Purpose of Mediation Questions
     Perspective and Paradigm

Chapter 2: How We Process and Communicate Information
     How Information Is Processed
     Factors That Contribute to the Information That We Process
     The NLP Model of Communication
     Our Created Paradigm Becomes Our Reference Point for Interpreting Information
     How We Communicate Information to Others
     Distortion, Deletion and Generalization When Communicating to Others
     The Surface Structure Language We Use When We Communicate with Others
     Using Mediation Questions to Create a Paradigm Shift

Chapter 3: Working with the Brain in Mediation
     The Brain
     Working with the Avoid-threat Reflex in Mediation

SECTION 2: Practical Application of the S Questions Model
Chapter 4: Methodology to Minimize an Avoid-threat Reflex When Asking Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 5: The S Questions Model Applied to a Mediation Process
     Reflective Preparation for Questions
     The S Questions Model
     S Questions Model Applied to Initial Separate Meeting
     S Questions Model Applied to Joint Meeting

SECTION 3: Practical Application of S1, S2 and S3 Questions
Chapter 6: S1: The Subject Matter Dimension of Questions
Chapter 7: S2: The Structure Dimension of Questions
Chapter 8: S3: The Seeking Information Dimension of Questions

SECTION 4: Practical Application of S4 Questions
Chapter 9: Introduction: The Eight Types of S4: Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions 91
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions

Chapter 10: S4: Journey of Inference Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Journey of Inference Questions
     How Do Journey of Inference Questions Work?
     When to Ask Journey of Inference Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 11: S4: Neuro-Linguistic Programming Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Neuro-Linguistic Programming Questions
     How Do Neuro-Linguistic Programming Questions Work?
     When to Ask Neuro-Linguistic Programming-based Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 12: S4: Distinction and Difference Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Distinction and Difference Questions
     How Do Distinction and Difference Questions Work?
     When to Ask Distinction and Difference Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 13: S4: Reflective Connecting Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Reflective Connecting Questions
     How Do Reflective Connecting Questions Work?
     When to Ask Reflective Connecting Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 14: S4: Cognitive Elements-based Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Cognitive Elements-Based Questions
     How Do Cognitive Elements-based Questions Work?
     When to Ask Cognitive Elements-based Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 15: S4: Other People Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Other People Questions
     How Do Other People Questions Work?
     When to Ask Other People Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 16: S4: Underlying Interests Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Underlying Interests Questions
     How Do Underlying Interests Questions Work?
     When to Ask Underlying Interests Questions
     Methodology

Chapter 17: S4: Future Focus Questions
     S4: The Shift Thinking Dimension of Questions — Future Focus Questions
     How Do Future Focus Questions Work?
     When to Ask Future Focus Questions
     Methodology

Endnotes
Index
About the Authors
A Note about the Publisher