Let Go

I am humbled on a regular basis as a mediator.  One occasion is when someone acts on the power to let go.  Not an easy thing to do.

In a recent mediation over alleged pregnancy discrimination, the employer’s lawyer had his job cut out for him.  He’d have to overcome inappropriate comments in response to the plaintiff’s report of her pregnancy, soon followed by a suspiciously reasoned termination, among other challenges.  

One would expect the plaintiff, suddenly without income, effectively unemployable as she was visibly into her pregnancy, for reasons that were shocking to her, would hold a stalwart position at the negotiation table.

Instead, I saw her mind take over.  I saw the paradigm shift in her as she came to a conscientious and graceful decision to let go.  She reached a satisfactory outcome with her well-being very much restored.

It reminded me of a story…

A means of catching a monkey was placing a succulent nut inside a hanging wooden box with a hole just large enough to fit a monkey’s out-stretched hand.  Once the monkey formed a fist around the nut inside, though, it was unable to pull its hand back through the hole.  There the monkey would stay struggling and stuck because it didn’t realize the key to its freedom was to let go.

About Maria Hanna Joseph

Maria Hanna Joseph, principal of Joseph Mediation, is an Attorney-Mediator who is highly regarded for her experience and ability to resolve employment, workplace and organizational disputes. She has served more than 2,000 matters over her 20 years as a mediator and her 29 year employment law career. With care, expedience and economy, Maria helps attorneys and parties achieve settlement in nearly every mediation. Moreover, her pragmatism and perseverance bring about purposeful settlements; products of Maria's insight and creativity, gained by her depth of experience and training. These qualities, along with her demeanor and the trust she engenders, have earned Maria a reputation for being able to manage extremely challenging circumstances and settle a wide variety of cases. Maria is available to provide services in-person or virtually (utilizing teleconference and desk-top videoconference resources) throughout Massachusetts, New England and the U.S.
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