Resolving Conflict and Defusing Tension: Expert Mediator Hesha Abrams Shares Powerful Strategies

In this episode, Mike Horne sits down with Hesha Abrams, an internationally acclaimed master attorney, mediator, negotiator, and dealmaker. With over 30 years of experience, Hesha is renowned for her success in resolving high-profile and difficult matters.

The conversation dives deep into the topic of conflict and how to effectively resolve it. Hesha shares her expertise on mediation, a process that involves a third party facilitating a negotiated settlement between conflicting parties. She emphasizes the importance of addressing conflict early on, well before it becomes old and moldy, and offers practical strategies for defusing tension and resolving conflicts.

What sets Hesha apart is her ability to hold the calm in any situation. She understands that conflict often stems from a feeling of tension and powerlessness, and her goal is to empower individuals to navigate conflicts with grace and effectiveness. She encourages listeners to shift their mindset from power over to power with, and to see power as an expandable pie rather than a divisible one.

Throughout the episode, Hesha shares real-life examples and anecdotes, showcasing the power of mediation and the impact it can have on individuals, teams, and organizations. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the ears you're speaking into and tailoring your approach accordingly. Hesha's insights and techniques are not only applicable in professional settings but also in personal relationships, making this episode a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their conflict resolution skills.

Mike and Hesha's conversation is engaging, inspiring, and filled with practical wisdom. They discuss the power of holding the calm, the importance of active listening, and the role of empathy in conflict resolution. Hesha's approach is grounded in real-life experiences and the complexities of human psychology, making her insights relatable and actionable.

• "Mediation is a negotiated settlement with a third party, somebody who will listen to both sides, who has confidentiality and is willing to try to be a dealmaker." (10:31 | Hesha Abrams)
• "Smart lawyers and smart companies mediate early, early, early, even before a lawsuit is filed or a grievance or a union early, early, early. It's free discovery." (14:44 | Hesha Abrams)
• "When you talk to somebody in a way that they think you think they're stupid, they're not very likely to agree to anything or cooperate with you." (31:11 | Hesha Abrams)
• "How skillful can I get? How big can I get? How much, you know, if I want to be more loving or more forgiving or more aggressive or more entrepreneurial or more assertive, how much more can I get?" (35:32 | Hesha Abrams)