"I wish that this book had been available nearly 40 years ago when I took my first faltering steps into the solicitor's profession." -Law Society Gazette"This is a remarkable book written by three experienced mediators." -Medico-Legal Journal"It is particularly heartening to find that so much wisdom can be imparted in 222 pages..." -Family Law" Henry Brown's reputation as a mediator is second to none and it is important that leaders like Henry and his co- authors should make their great experience available to all who aspire to excel in any of the many disciplines for which they write. The territory they survey is extensive and they achieve a clear introduction to a large range of subjects and concepts. Their survey will be particularly useful to lawyers and judges, whose training, qualification and practice place such emphasis on intellectual supremacy. Certainly although I have long been convinced of the need to understand the basics of other sciences contributing to family justice I found in reading the chapters in proof how much I did not know."-Rt. Hon. Sir Mathew Thorpe is a former Lord Justice of Appeal (England and Wales), Vice-President of the Family Division and the inaugural Head of International Family Law"Leadership and management guides too often propose some narrow technique as a new way to workplace success. In this book, however, the authors take exactly the opposite approach, on the basis that work relationships are best handled through a knowledge of how to balance and apply emotions, intellect and intuition, sometimes together, sometimes apart, to work through work problems with colleagues and clients. This is a style of leadership different from sectoral skill: it is the professional as rounded human being. I particularly enjoyed the chapter of dealing with difficult people, a skill rarely taught."-Ian, Lord Blair of Boughton, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, 2005-2008"As a reader you are holding an exceptional book in your hands. I know of no other generic work that addresses the universal challenges that face all professionals and, regardless of specialisation, aims to support them in performing their tasks, to serve their customer/clients in as efficient a manner as may be possible given particular contexts and configurations. Understanding the human attributes and relationships that underpin professionalism and being reminded of and taught about its salient implications, will make all of us more effective and better able to perform our obligations to provide the best possible service we are able to deliver. That is the value of this book."-Peter Fonagy, OBE, PhD, Professor of Psychoanalysis and Developmental Science and Head of the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at University College London"The theoretical scope of this book is impressive as it seeks to build a comprehensive picture of the nuts and bolts of what we bring to our professional self and what the implications are for the relationships that wethen form and develop with colleagues and clients (author’s terminology).The book calls on professionals to actively seek and use self-knowledge and to consider the experiences of others in their practice in order to maximise the effectiveness of their professional relationships and in turn fulfil their purpose and remit positively and impactfully. "-Richard Ingram, Journal of Social Work Practice
