Introduction: While some mediators advocate for lowering parties' expectations (Frank Blechman), others advocate for raising aspirations (Paul Wehr). Frank Dukes of the Institute for Environmental Negotiation at the University of Virginia weighs in on the issue with an inspirational note.

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Positive Outlook on People
Frank Dukes
Director, Institute for Environmental Negotiation, University of Virginia
Interviewed by
Julian Portilla
2003

... Most people in most circumstances really do want to do the right thing; they really want to aspire higher. This book that I wrote with my colleagues, John Stevens and Marie Piscoli, Reaching for Higher Grounds, says if you set your goals high, people like having a challenge like that, people want to achieve things that are good for the other people that are involved, they want to do things that are good for their community, and for their children.. We need to allow people to talk about that explicitly.
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