Core’s First Dispute Management Summer School

31 August – 3 September 2014

For those who wish to strive for excellence in all that we do when advising and representing clients and others with disputes or other difficult situations. Our aim is to explore the critical practices in advocacy, negotiation, mediation and facilitation that give us that extra edge, making the difference between minimum competence and excellence in what we do. We will include material and resources to give more in-depth understanding of some of the latest insights in the field.

Topics include:

•How we think, how we act and our values

•Emotion: what it really means and how we respond

•Cognitive Traps, Psychology and Neuro-Science: what we learn and how much to adjust

•Self-Awareness: mindfulness and being present

•Breaking Logjams: what really works?

•The Rituals of Communication, Negotiation and Mediation: starting and finishing well

•Advocacy: the essentials of persuasion

•Questions: what really works to get to the heart of a matter?

•Preparation: do we really do it?

There will be opportunities to create and practice critical stages in negotiation, mediation, advocacy and facilitation. We have chosen a very attractive country venue (Blair Estate in Ayrshire, just 20 minutes south of Glasgow airport: http://www.blairestate.com/).

Dispute Management Summer School

Core’s First Dispute Management Summer School

31 August – 3 September 2014

Our aim is to explore the critical practices in advocacy, negotiation, mediation and facilitation that give us that extra edge, making the difference between minimum competence and excellence in what we do. We aim to include material and resources to give more in-depth understanding of some of the latest insights in the field.

The plan is to meet on the late afternoon/early evening of Sunday 31 August, for dinner and introductions. The next two and a half days will contain a full schedule of seminars and workshops on key topics, often driven by the participants themselves.

We intend to include topics such as these:

•The Head, Body and Soul: what we think, how we act and our values
•Emotion: what it really means and how we respond
•Cognitive Traps, Psychology and Neuro-Science: what we learn and how much to adjust
•Self-Awareness: mindfulness and being present
•Breaking Logjams: what really works?
•The Rituals of Communication, Negotiation and Mediation: starting and finishing well
•Advocacy: the essentials of persuasion
•Questions: what really works to get to the heart of a matter?
•Preparation: do we really do it?

We would hope that participants would also each speak about a key book or new idea and develop an activity based on its insights for the benefit of the others. There will be opportunities to create and practice critical stages in negotiation, mediation and facilitation. I intend to bring in two or three of my leading colleagues to work with us on some of these specific topics. And perhaps to have a surprise dinner guest or two!

On the Wednesday, we will conclude after lunch with a wrap up and debrief.

We have chosen a very attractive country venue (Blair Estate in Ayrshire, just 20 minutes south of Glasgow airport: http://www.blairestate.com), with nice surroundings and some leisure activity. I estimate the total fee, including accommodation for three nights and all meals and exclusive use of all facilities, to be around £1575 plus VAT.