Acknowledgments

Our thanks to the following people who helped us in the writing of this book:

Nora Jaffe, member of NCRC's board of directors, and Barbara Lee, a friend and participant in an Exchange training, reviewed and commented upon an early draft of this book. We are grateful for their time and editing skills.

Robin Seigle, Director of NCRC's Business Division, was our best proofreader. She found many typos and misused words, and had a sharp eye for many other details.

Leneah Manuma, NCRC Training Institute Administrative Assistant worked to finish the details required for the manuscript to be submitted.

The NCRC staff believed in us from the very beginning. At times they did extra office chores; at other times they stayed out of the way so the three of us could meet. We could not ask for a better team.

NCRC volunteer mediators, credentialing candidates, and panel specialists contributed cases, comments, and care for nearly 30 years. Without them there would be no book.

PRINCIPLED NEGOTIATION AND MEDIATION

Although The Exchange is unique in its structure, it reflects important principles from many sources, especially principled negotiation and mediation. Principled negotiation, developed in Roger Fisher and William Ury's book, Getting to Yes, stresses that in order to be successful, negotiators need to recognize each other's interests—and to realize that their interests are interconnected. Mediation is built on empowerment, respect, and an awareness that its results affect far more people than the individuals who are directly involved.