Mediation Toolkit – I

About This Workshop:

This module builds the communication toolkit that every mediator, lawyer or any dispute professional needs: active listening, reframing, reflective techniques, and the art of asking the right question at the right moment.

Susan Tay and Marcus Lim introduce participants to the essential interpersonal skills that distinguish a merely competent mediator from an exceptional one. These are not abstract techniques—they are habits of mind and practice that, when developed through deliberate effort, become second nature in the mediation room.

With a focus on practical exercises and live demonstrations, participants will begin developing the communication disciplines that will serve them throughout their mediation careers. Topics include active listening and its application in high-conflict conversations, reframing as a tool for transforming charged statements into productive dialogue, and a range of questioning techniques designed to surface interests, open possibilities, and move conversations forward.

What You’ll Learn:

• Master Active Listening: Develop the discipline of listening not just to words, but to emotions, needs, and underlying interests
• Reframe with Purpose: Learn how to transform charged, position-based statements into neutral, interest-based language that opens dialogue
• Build Rapport: Understand the science and art of building trust quickly with parties who may be in distress, defensive, or in conflict
• Use Questions Strategically: Practise open, clarifying, probing, and hypothetical questioning techniques to move conversations forward
• Reflect Effectively: Develop the skill of reflective responses that demonstrate understanding without taking sides
• Communicate with Precision: Build awareness of language choices, tone, and non-verbal cues in managing sensitive and high-stakes conversations

Who Should Attend:

• Legal professionals seeking to develop their interpersonal communication skills in dispute resolution contexts
• Human resource practitioners managing workplace conflict and mediation
• Mediators, counsellors, and facilitators seeking to sharpen their communication toolkit
• Corporate leaders and executives involved in sensitive negotiations or people management
• Anyone seeking to become a more effective communicator in professional and personal contexts
• Aspiring or Practising Mediators