LEARNING AGENDA

• The participant shall be able to clearly distinguish between impartiality and partiality, bias and non-bias, directive behavior and non-directiveness, and between giving and not giving advice.  
• The participant shall also be able to relate the imperative purpose of the mediator in adhering to the highest standards of impartiality, non-bias, non-directiveness, and not giving advice, even with the best intentions.  
• Finally, the participant will be able to deliver mediator intervention with intention and in the moment of the dispute discussion.

• The participant shall be able to distinguish between "resolution" and "settlement".
• The participant shall be able to relate the most effective, enduring and mutually party satisfactory approach to achieving resolution and its natural secure outcome of settlement.

• The participant shall be able to relate the dynamics of communication and their impact on the mediation effort.
• The participant shall be able to identify the causes of the disconnect in party communication and reference purposeful, structured mediator intervention to treat the conflict, assisting the parties to reconnect a productive discussion effort.

The participant shall be able to apply strategically structured mediator intervention language to anchor the parties focus on the immediate and productive "NOW" experience to maximize the potential of achieving resolution and its secure natural outcome of settlement.

• The participant shall be able to remain centered and powerfully effective in the midst of a "heated discussion" between disputing parties. Including parties talking at the same time, elevated and/or aggressive tones, and threats of genuine harm, among others.  
• The participant shall be able to identify and address manifestations of adversarial representatives and, using the strategically structured mediator intervention language, address them without being directive, giving advice or being intimidated.

• The participant shall be able to identify conflict cues in the parties contribution and relate and apply them to powerful, strategically structured intervention language to reconnect the parties disconnected communication effort.

• The participant shall be able to open the mediation session, capably answer questions about the mediation process, and the points in the Agreement to Mediate Form.
•  The participant shall be able to facilitate the parties' ground rules setting without directiveness, advice giving, or signs of partiality or bias.
• The participant shall be able to facilitate the parties' enforcement of their ground rules should they be transgressed at any point in the discussion.

• The participant shall be able to distinguish between being a 3rd party neutral and being a 3rd party contributor, and the imperative nature of maintaining neutrality and being consistent with neutral language in the mediation session.
• The participant shall be able to identify mediator intervention language that breaches neutrality.
• The participant shall be aware of and apply 3rd party neutral language to his/her mediator intervention treatment.

• The participant shall be able to identify the positive shifts in the parties' dispute discussion, highlight and harvest them using the strategically structured intervention language for the potential settlement agreement.The participant shall be able to relate the dynamics of communication and their impact on the mediation effort.
• The participant shall be able to identify the causes of the disconnect in party communication and reference purposeful, structured mediator intervention to treat the conflict, assisting the parties to reconnect a productive discussion effort.

The participant shall be able to apply strategically structured mediator intervention language to anchor the parties focus on the immediate and productive "NOW" experience to maximize the potential of achieving resolution and its secure natural outcome of settlement.

• The participant shall be able to clearly identify when the parties' discussion has come to a close.
• The participant shall be able, without being directive or giving advice, to facilitate the writing of the settlement agreement, ensuring the components of the agreement are employable and enforceable.

• The participant shall be able to track the advent and practices of societies to resolve conflicts throughout the ages, and the various forms of conflict resolution efforts.
• The participant shall be able to track the advent of mediation in society and identify the various forms practiced today.  

• The participant shall be able to relate the Standards of Mediation Practice as stated in the Texas Civil Practices and Remedies Code, Title 7, Chapter 154.023.
• The participant shall be able to clearly identify signs of conflict of interest and know how to avoid them.
• The participant shall be able to relate to the ethical standards of confidentiality, mediator payment, disclosure of experience and other important particulars.

• The participant will be able to utilize proven techniques for the effective marketing of their mediation business.
• The participant shall acquire a list of entities that hire mediation services.

• The participant shall be provided with an overview of what is required to apply for mediation contracts for mediators.

• The participants shall be provided with an overview of the dynamics of mediating in a large corporation and the multifaceted decision levels to consider.