It’s good to get away from our everyday routines. We all need the opportunity to stop and think about what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and how we might be able to live better as mediators. Our international conferences provide exactly that opportunity and the recent conference on the Gold Coast in Australia demonstrated why the IAM conferences are successful and enjoyable in so many ways.
Doug and Geri Murphy pulled out all the stops in ensuring that those of us who attended the conference had a wonderful and enriching experience. The speakers were thought provoking: amongst others, we had a mediator who literally was a magician, talking to us about trust; a psychologist and mediator helping us to understand more about what is going on in the mind in difficult negotiations and a debate, that was great fun, on the topic, “Can AI be as effective as a human as an ADR practitioner?” Of course, there were also the breakout sessions on various topics, which for many are the high point of the conferences.
I was disappointed that more of our members did not attend, but we are in the process of putting together a great programme for Boston next May, and I look forward to seeing you there.
There are many other initiatives going on during the year and one of the most exciting are the regional retreats that members in various locations are organising. As you can read in this newsletter, this year there are retreats in Europe, Canada and California. While primarily aimed at members practicing in those jurisdictions, space permitting, they are open to all.
Our Mentee programme goes from strength to strength and we now have 32 registered with the IAM. They are the future of our profession and the opportunity to impart not only our knowledge and experience, but also best practice is invaluable. These are not wanna-bes but gonna-bes!
A great feature of the Mentee programme is the webinar series that is put on every month. Please don’t think these are just for Mentees. The topics covered and the quality of the speakers means that we can all learn from our colleagues who have given up their time to share their experience. It’s also a great way to stay in touch with other members through the year.
I also want to thank Jan Schau for her hard work in putting this first newsletter together. I know she would appreciate support for the next edition. If you are interested, please contact her and, of course, send her articles for our next edition.
I am looking forward to the next months as your President. The world appears to be entering a new phase, both physically and politically. I am glad to be part of a profession that thrives on creating new solutions to resolve difficult issues. Let’s encourage each other as we rise to meet these challenges.
Jonathan Lloyd-Jones
President, International Academy of Mediators
Articles
- Riding the Crest of the Wave: Southern California Fall Retreat, by Jan Schau
- Regional Retreat in Canada, by Allan Stitt
- It’s Not a Joint Session, by Eric Galton
- Smelling the Roses on the Way to Retirement, by David Hoffman
- Facilitating Difficult Conversations: Beyond Commercial Mediation, by Jan Schau
- The Birth of a Beautiful Tradition, by Claude Amar
- 2025 Conference Recap, by Tim Connard
- Anxiety, Mental Health, and Mediation, by Rebecca Clark
- Artificial Intelligence in Mediation, by Sarah Rudolph Cole
- When Life Hands You Lemons . . . Mediate!, by Gustavo Milare
- Mediation Lessons from a Saharan Oasis in Morocco, by Joel Bertet