It hardly needs to be said that 2020 has been an unusual year! Throughout, my Crafting Solutions to Conflict podcast hasn’t missed a step — or, more precisely, a week. I have offered observations in host-on-mic episodes of 5 minutes or so. And I have hosted interesting and engaging guests who have shared their insights […]
Panelist on “Starting and Maintaining a Mediation Practice”
I’m looking forward to being a part of this Connecticut Mediation Association event. Join us! Please join CTMA on Monday, May 20 at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and a roundtable discussion on Starting and Maintaining a Mediation Practice featuring mediators with successful and varied mediation practices. “Starting and Maintaining a Mediation […]
Article, co-authored with Mitzi Perdue, on the importance of Advance Directives to prevent quarrels
Many generally sensible, thoughtful, careful people cannot be sensible, thoughtful, or careful about planning for the end of their own lives. Some can’t do a simple will, let alone a comprehensive estate plan. Others can face the “money” part: they can create wills, trusts, and other vehicles to preserve wealth. (We will leave for another […]
Dovetail and New Year’s Resolutions
All year long, my work with Dovetail Resolutions is devoted to helping intergenerational families and their businesses make and keep resolutions. Resolutions that reflect a determination to take concrete steps to create and execute a plan. Resolutions to conflicts that are damaging families, their businesses, and their wealth. The New Year is a […]
Year’s End Resolutions – And Conflict Prevention
We tend to think of New Year’s Resolutions as forward-looking: commitments to change a habit or trait for the better. How about Year’s End Resolutions? What has been sitting, oh-so-patiently, on the corner of your real or figurative desk, that needs to be finished up? Perhaps the estate planning documents that you can’t […]
For One Day, No Demonizing
I am publishing this post just before Thanksgiving Day, a day that can present a potent mix of joy and aggravation. Although these ideas are especially applicable on that day, they are worth considering for a day featuring a family event or any day at all. In my work to prevent and resolve […]
Do it while you still can — adventures and conversations
I recently heard the ongoing conversations of a couple of healthy 70-something guys planning adventures to enjoy while they still can. (The occasion, sadly, was the funeral of a dear friend.) Hearing them continuing to add items to their bucket lists (while happily checking off others) reminded me of the value of having important family […]
Silence is golden, except when it isn’t
Silence is golden when you hold your tongue about the minor, temporary thing that just doesn’t matter much. But there is nothing golden about silence on estate planning, family business succession, or other things that are so very important that they are hard to discuss. A facilitated family meeting or mediation can help. […]
Mediation Need and Mediation Demand
We often hear about supply and demand in a variety of different contexts. Lately there has been more and more talk in the mediation world about the need and demand for mediation — and how different they seem to be. It’s easy to see that the need for mediation as an efficient and effective means […]
