ADR Masterclass

05/27/2026

10 TIPS FROM THE MEDIATOR'S ROUNDTABLE & Tye Bourdony: (email [email protected] to receive a weekly invitation!)

This week's Roundtable focused on practical ways Technology has become an integral part of a Mediator’s Virtual Practice!

10 SMART TECH TIPS MEDIATOR NEED TO KNOW!

1. The "Reboot Before Mediation" Rule:
Restart your computer ½ an hour before mediation; NOT five minutes before! This assures sufficient memory and avoids surprise system updates.

2. The Clean Desk-Top Method:
Close unnecessary programs before your session. Every open application competes for resources and increases the risk of technical issues.

3. The Ethernet Cable Advantage:
Connect your computer directly to your router via an Ethernet Cable! Wired connections outperform a Wi-Fi connection when stability matters most.

4. The Weekly Router Reset:
Schedule a weekly restart for your router like any other routine maintenance. Small maintenance habits equal consistent reliability improvements.

5. The Mediator’s Early Arrival Edge:
Mediators should be the first face virtual parties see! Log in 15 minutes before the mediation starts. Party, Case & Technical issues discovered early rarely become session-ending problems when dealt with early.

6. The Feedback Detective Technique:
When audio feedback appears, quickly identify the source in Zoom’s participant controls. Look for & turn off oscillating microphones with ease!

7. The Professional Aesthetic:
Good lighting, sound & screen placement builds credibility, engagement, & trust. A mediator's face & voice should never be hidden in shadows or noise.

8. The Backup Power Strategy:
Battery backups & surge protectors are inexpensive insurance against interrupted negotiations and power interruptions.

9. The Third-Party Transparency Protocol:
Always address unseen 3rd-party participants in virtual Opening Statements! This establishes clear expectations regarding confidentiality & procedure.

10. The Digital Toolbox Mindset:
Professional mediators must view platforms like Zoom & E-Signature software like Docusign, & other needed software tools as essential business infrastructure!

Key Takeaway:
Just as yesterday’s successful mediators adapted to the virtual mediation paradigm shift, today’s virtual mediators adapt to reliable Tech practices.

04/29/2026

Overcoming Barriers Through Reframing & Strategic Control

Managing difficult dynamics requires good mediators to be able to maintain control of the process & see each side’s perspective, while also having the ability to shift their own perspectives as needed.

What technique have you used to help parties in reframe perspectives?

Here are 6 KEY TAKEAWAYS from a recent Mediator’s Roundtable:

1. Mirroring Party Reflections
Helping parties see their own perspective without triggering or making them defensive is a powerful way to reframe their own narratives toward a more positive and future oriented outcome.

2. Move Parties from Emotion to Problem-Solving
When done correctly, Listening, Labeling, Validating & Reframing shifts parties out of fight-or-flight and into rational decision-making.

3. Pause & Breathe before Reacting
Whether in mediation or life: The space between stimulus and response is where control lives. A good mediator must never let themselves be triggered!

4. Reading the Room
Non-verbal cues often help the nuanced mediator see the real story. Great mediators respond to what’s felt, not just to what’s being said on the surface.

5. The Mediator’s Subjective Neutrality
Through effective use of caucus and shuttle diplomacy, mediators can:

- Build trust without judgment
- Step into each party’s perspective
- Reframe positions into shared interests

When parties feel understood individually, they become open collectively.

6. It isn't just Technique, it’s Composure
The ability to remain steady, untriggered & intentional allows mediators to:
- Rise above adversarial tactics
- Introduce clarity into chaos
- Neutrally guide parties toward resolution

04/23/2026

MEDIATING STRATEGICALLY

Great mediators don’t just manage conversations, they anticipate, adapt, and influence mediated outcomes with Empathy, Experience and Practiced Skill.

Here are 7 STRATEGIC TAKEAWAYS from this week's Mediator's Roundtable.

Which of these strategies has been most effective in your mediations?

1. THINK 3 MOVES AHEAD
Try to Anticipate obstacles in mediation before they arise.
Proactive communication builds momentum before mediation even begins.

2. CALM IS POWER
No defensiveness. Only strategy.
Pause. Breathe. Reset the room.

3. PERSUASION IS NOT PRESSURE
True persuasion Empowers Self-Determination.
Never forcing outcomes in mediation, but instinctively enabling them.

4. ADAPT TO THE PARTY
Every mediation is different and context driven.
Flexibly modifying the mediator's approach while maintaining control without trying to.

5. ASK STRATEGIC QUESTIONS
The right questions at the right time can enable movement.
Tactical curiosity creates breakthroughs.

6. USE SILENCE & DELIVERY
Silence creates space for Reflection.
How you say it matters as much as what you say.

7. AUTHENTICITY OVER IMITATION
Trust is built through Presence & Authenticity.
Be real. Be grounded. Be effective.

03/24/2026

Join us at the ADR EXPO’s DFS Mediator Roundtable to discuss the new case manager and portal system via Zoom on:

Friday, March 26, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm EST

This event is FREE of charge for all DFS Mediators.

Don’t miss this opportunity to network and learn about the new portal system from other DFS Mediators in Florida, along with Primary Mediation Trainers Tye Bourdony & Tyler Kelley.

Register Below:

This is a FREE event for DFS mediators in Florida. The roundtable discussion will focus on the new mediation manager/ portal system. The Zoom meeting link and information will be sent to the email you provide below the week of the roundtable. ADR-EXPO LLC is not affiliated with any State or Governme...

03/20/2026

Every mediator has faced this moment:

- The conversation slows…
- Positions harden…
- And nothing is moving.

We call it an IMPASSE!

ADR Masterclass's Tye Bourdony hosts The Mediator’s Roundtable:
“BREAKING IMPASSE: THE HIDDEN DYNAMICS MEDIATORS MISS”

Saturday, March 21 @ 9:00 AM (EST)
Attendance is FREE

ZOOM LINK:
https://lnkd.in/enmPzG8i

1-hour ETHICS CME Available for purchase via Square:
https://lnkd.in/ePxXzT-w

03/10/2026

SKILLS THAT DEFINE TODAY'S WELL-PREPARED MEDIATOR

Grow, Recertify & Train with ADR Masterclass & Tye Bourdony

Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 12:00 to 5:00 pm EST

- Integrating AI into your Mediation Practice
- Technology & Effective Virtual Mediation
- Understanding Context Driven Mediation
- Ethics as Sword, Shield & One-Eyed Justice
- Dealing with Rollercoaster Emotions
- Manipulating the Narcissist in Mediation
- Overcoming Non-Agreement in Mediation

5 Hours of CME
1 General, 1 Diversity, 1 IPV/DV & 2 Ethics

REGISTER NOW
https://lnkd.in/e4Xi5Hvr

02/27/2026

I hope all DFS (Dept. of Financial Services) Mediators will join myself, Tyler Kelley & ADR-EXPO for a FREE Roundtable to talk about the changes to the DFS Portal.

Friday, March 27th, from 12:00 to 1:00 pm EST.

Please register below and we look forward to seeing you there!

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

02/24/2026

The Way Mediators Show Up to Mediation Matters!
Some of the most important question for me as a mediator are:

- How can I be of Service to the parties today?
- How can I best move the parties forward today?
- Have I made the parties feel Heard, Welcome & Appreciated?
- Am I being Authentic in In-Authentic moments?

At the end of the day being a mediator for me is also about offering Superior Customer Service in any way that I can.

The Way Mediators Show Up to Mediation Matters!Some of the most important question for me as a mediator are:- How can I be of Service to the parties today?- ...

11/04/2025

I am so very excited to be moderating "Ethical & Effective Use of AI" live on November 11th, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, as hosted by Mediate Lawsuit, with great speakers Robert Bergman, Christopher Hopkins & Daniel Rainey.

It isn't a question of "IF" Mediators and legal professionals need to engage with and begin using AI in their practices, but "WHEN"!
I look forward to seeing you all there!
https://aimediationwebinar.com/

10/02/2025

Mediator, Primary Trainer & Adjunct Professor Tye Bourdony will be speaking along with Attorney & Mediator Law Office of Julie Lewis Hauf, Esq., tomorrow, Friday, October 3rd, at 8:00 am EST Alternative Dispute Resolution Section of The Florida Bar's MEDIATOR'S FORUM.

"The Advocate’s Ally: What do Attorneys Need Most from Mediators?"

All are welcome to attend via the Zoom link below:

https://lnkd.in/ecNj5PS5

Julie and I will be talking about some core skills and issues mediators can focus on to strengthen their ability to support attorneys during mediation.

This session will explore practical strategies and insights to help mediators be seen as indispensable allies to attorneys, while also highlighting how the mediator's perspective impacts the mediation process itself, the mediator's reputation, as well as the mediator's future business prospects.

Hope to see you all there!

09/18/2025

I could not be more sincere in my endorsement of the fine work Judge Pulayya has been doing for the residents of Osceola County.

Please join me and many others by adding your name and endorsing keeping Judge Juna Pulayya as an Osceola County Judge via the link below.

Endorse Judge Juna Pulayya