The New TLH Consulting Website
While I have written posts before, this is my first post for the new TLH Consulting Co. website. In a bit, I’ll talk more about the new website and about my approach to mediation. But first, let me state how best to get in touch with me. My telephone number remains 773-710-1041. Calling or texting me at this number remains the easiest way to get in touch with me to discuss a case or schedule a mediation or arbitration. I can also be reached at my new email address- tlh@tlhconsultingco.com - I check it regularly.
My website provides more information about my areas of expertise and the approach I take towards my profession. It is something I should have done a while ago and I will continue to enlarge it in scope. But so far, I have been told it provides those who don't have prior experience with my work a way to see how my approach to mediation, arbitration and trial consulting differs from many other professionals.
The type of work I do requires those who use my services to trust me at some level. {This was a topic of one of my earlier posts "What's Trust Got to do with It"} Trust is something which is earned over time. It’s not given until those in the relationship feel comfortable giving it. It takes time to develop trust and time is not one of the hallmarks of the mediation session which brings together its participants only once. These types of sessions, in my experience, breakdown at the one to two hour range due to some real or perceived lack of "progress". The participants then have to make a decision as to whether they want to continue without extending trust to one another. This usually makes for an easy decision: to let the attempt at resolution flounder.
To work around this hurdle I spend some time prior to the session speaking on the telephone with participants to get an understanding from each of them what it is they would like to achieve at the session. I don't do this by asking the questions directly; instead we discuss the points highlighted in their submissions. This allows me to see how attached each of them are to positions articulated in their submissions. It is in these discussions that I am able to explain my approach more fully with the goal in mind of getting each to extend sufficient trust to me to build a framework for resolution during the session.
At the outset of the session, I continue to slowly work with the parties to provide those on the other side with sufficient positive information to begin to build the trust necessary to settle the matter. This is often a time consuming process. However, I am a firm believer that time well spent in the early portion of the session sets the tone for the mediation and yields much success. Many of the mediations which I have been involved in require me to work with the participants for weeks afterwards over the phone.
I look forward to working with all of you who read this. Give me a call at the number above if you would like me to explain this further.
Tom Hogan