Authentic persuasion is a valuable advocacy skill in almost any setting. We all intuitively understand that effective advocacy can make a critical difference when speaking to groups both large and small, arguing in a courtroom or dealmaking. The value of genuine persuasion is perhaps a bit less obvious during a mediation. Mediation best practices today limit direct, adversarial confrontations, and mediation participants tend to focus on their negotiating strategies and “the numbers.” But it is a mistake to shortchange effective mediation advocacy. Authentic persuasion matters enormously in mediation, and all participants would be well served to hone this craft.

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