Workplace Mediation Video
The Story of “MBC Marketing Company”
Our mediation training video gives a realistic example of a workplace mediation scenario. Viewers can watch the video to analyze the various sections of the mediation process, debate the mediator’s skills and techniques, and examine the outcome.
Download the training workbook here:
Buy or rent the video through Vimeo
Or order a DVD copy now for $175. Price includes shipping and handling within the continental US. Currently available in SD only. Please contact us if you would like the HD version.
About the Video:
We produced this video to give a realistic, live example of what happens in a workplace mediation. We hired professional actors, gave them roles to play and asked the mediator to handle this as he would handle any other workplace case. He was given only a summary of the dispute (shown below). We gave each actor differing and conflicting personal information about the dispute. This is similar to the set-up of role plays used in mediation training courses.
To keep the scenario as real as possible, we did not allow for multiple takes. All breaks were taken during natural transitions between sections. This helps to maintain a consistent flow of the video throughout the process and allows viewers to dialogue about “mistakes” that occurred during the meeting.
The Workbook Includes:
- Questions to analyze the mediator’s skills, examine the parties’ body language and vocabulary, and critique the overall success of the process.
- An example of the agreement to mediate.
- A draft of the final agreement.
- The complete role play scenario, including the parties’ confidential notes so that you may recreate the role play on your own.
Who should buy:
- Mediation trainers who want a good example to show their classes. All students can order the workbook for free from our website.
- New or experienced mediators who want a good continuing education exercise. You can watch the video and answer the questions in the workbook.
- If you are serious about perfecting your mediation skills, this video is for you!
Summary of the Dispute:
Parties are in the middle of a workplace dispute over strategies and resources.
MBC* Marketing was formed in Denver in 1993. They serve clients nationwide and have 12 offices in six states. They serve mostly large nonprofit organizations and their primary services include marketing and event-planning for large scale fundraisers.
Andy has been a supervisor with MBC Marketing for eight years and has helped the company grow substantially. He works for the corporate office in Denver and is responsible for overseeing all events nationwide. He reports directly to the CEO and has 20 full-time employees who report directly to him, including Katie.
Katie joined MBC six months ago after graduating from college. Andy hired her to take charge of events in a new and growing branch of the organization in Hawaii. These clients have grown the organization’s event-planning services and helped them expand outside of nonprofits to more corporate clients. Even though she is a recent college graduate, Katie’s background in event-planning and marketing, along with her knowledge of Hawaii, made her an obvious choice for the job.
Andy and Katie are having problems coming to agreement on certain aspects of the events based in Hawaii. Andy says that Katie is taking too much liberty with the way she manages the company’s brand and resources. Katie is upset that so much of the company’s brand is rooted in Denver and feels that she needs more flexibility to adapt to the unique culture in Hawaii.
The tipping point came when it was time to print materials for an upcoming event. MBC uses a Colorado-based company for all of their print materials. They have used ABC printing for everything for the last 10 years (even before Andy joined the company), and they offer discounted pricing on their services. Katie is upset because she feels the printing is no longer discounted by the time she pays the shipping costs and believes that she can find higher quality for a much lower price, saving some money in her budget for other opportunities.
Katie will be in Denver for the company’s annual retreat and both parties have agreed that this is a good time for the mediation.
*We worked with a team of practitioners to create a realistic scenario for this exercise. MBC (Make Believe Company) does not, to the best of our knowledge, actually exist.
About the Mediator:
Mark S. Loye isthe Director of Jefferson County Mediation Services and a practitioner with OvalOptions. He has more than 21 years of experience as a professional in the dispute-resolution field in areas such as multi-party environmental, land use, business, EEO/workplace, divorce and child custody, real estate, and task force and group facilitation. His educational background includes an undergraduate degree in biology and graduate degrees in ecology and public administration, as well as over 420 hours of varied mediation training. He has conducted training seminars in dispute resolution for the federal government, local governments, the U.S. Postal Service, private training organizations and at professional conferences.
Credits:
Mark S. Loye – Mediator
Addison Parker – Andy, Party 1
Mary Kate Loye – Katie, Party 2
Brian S. Beck – Executive Producer
Luke Bender – Director
Ken Longoria – Sound and Lighting
Ilya Kushnir – Camera 1
Mykel Fatali – Camera 2
Ian Walker – Camera 3
Tara Feiman – Makeup Artist
Billy Kostka – Post production
Workbook Production:
Jennifer Beck
Chris Beauchamp
Jason Gladfelter
David Holland
Mark S. Loye
Devin Rau
Paul Teven