Recently, I attended a training on cross cultural communication presented by Jason Harper as part of the Los Angeles County Bar Association training for mediators. During the presentation, Mr. Harper discussed “low-context” and “high -context” communications in terms of relationships vs rights. But first, some definitions: The concepts of high [Read More]
One of the hardest things about settling a lawsuit is for the parties to let go. They have spent all this time and energy (mental and emotional) as well as money on it over a period of months (if not years) and now, in the face of an offer to [Read More]
To some extent (some of us more so than others), we all procrastinate or put off things. Sometimes, the task is important or urgent, and sometimes it is not. Often, we will do the not so important or not so urgent task first because…? Our brain tells us to! In [Read More]
What do you see? In a March 13, 2018 post, LiveScience.com contributor Jasmin Malik Chua published an article on the value of optical illusions. Entitled “What This Optical Illusion Reveals About the Human Brain”, Ms. Chua replicates a 19th century optical illusion which can be either a rabbit or a [Read More]
Imagine this scenario: “Jack” is having a conversation with “Jill” about whether to go up the hill to fetch a pail of water. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_and_Jill_(nursery_rhyme)) From out of nowhere, Jill makes an offhand but biting remark to which Jack responds negatively. The ensuing conversation gets totally off track on whether they [Read More]
About a week before Christmas, LiveScience published an article reviewing two studies suggesting “… that our brains prompt us to act more like Santa than Scrooge. (Id. at Your Giving Brain: Are Humans Hardwired for Generosity? by Mindy Weinberger (December 19, 2016.).) Based on two different research experiments, the researchers [Read More]
The August 2015 edition of the California Lawyer contains an article entitled Feelings in the Fray for which I was interviewed. In it, the author Susan Kostel discusses how emotions very much play a critical rule in negotiations and in resolving disputes. Understanding a bit of neuroscience goes a long way to helping parties resolve [Read More]
