Hans Boserup, a Danish mediator, has published a book (available in English) called Six Ways in Seven Days. In it he describes what he calls six styles of mediation: generic, settlement-driven, cognitive-systemic, transformative, humanistic, and narrative. You can learn more at his website, www. uk.mediator.dk.
Without going into detail about his descriptions of these different modes of mediation, suffice it to say that they cover a range of perspectives and priorities. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that a process that is so flexible that it can be broken into six different styles can have wide application in a variety of circumstances.
With just a bit of imagination and creativity, parties to conflict — and their trusted advisors — can use mediation to fit the parties’ unique needs and help them find appropriate resolutions.
