Mediation Scenarios Part One: Role Play Directions: choose ONE of the following scenarios to complete the Mediation assignment. For this assignment you will serve as a mediator. The objective is to gain a better understanding of the mediation process and how each step functions. You will need to solicit the help of two people. These two people will take on the role of disputing parties Yeawho have come to you for mediation (use the Mediation Scenarios document). The Mediator You MUST play the role of the mediator. Based on the Chapter 9 reading and the mediation steps outlined in your text, mediate the scenario you chose from the document “Mediation Scenarios”. Two Volunteers Please solicit the help of two volunteers (volunteers can be friends, family member, or classmates). These two volunteers will help you role play a mediation scenario. There is no verbatim script, so volunteers are encouraged to behave the way they feel the disputants would in a real mediation. *Please include the names of your volunteers in your essay. Boss-Subordinate Mediation Recently, at XYZ Public Relations firm, a department has been through reorganization and the employees are left feeling that they do not know each other any longer. They are not sure who they can trust. During the reorganization, some employees were promoted over others who had been at XYZ longer. Some employees were assigned different duties. Some feel they have been completely left out of the loop and no longer feel like they are a part of the department. This is starting to affect productivity and even has caused several people to leave. Jeff was promoted to manager of all teams. He was initially excited about the promotion. Even though this meant longer hours and more responsibility, Jeff was excited; he had worked really hard and made multiple sacrifices. Jeff has always had positive relationships with his co-workers and considers many of them his friends. Sophia has been with XYZ Company since she was an intern in college. When Sophia initially learned there would only be one manager of all the teams she assumed it would be her. She has been there seven years longer than Jeff. Furthermore, Sophia and her team have worked on many of the largest campaigns for the company. Sophia is well liked and was the manager of her own team prior to the reorganization. Now Sophia and her team report to Jeff. Jeff and Sophia used to work well together. Before the reorganization, Jeff considered Sophia a friend and he thought she would be happy for him when he received the promotion. However, recently, Sophia has become uncollaborative. She often undermines Jeff’s authority, criticizes ideas, and tells co-workers he does not know what he is doing. Recently Sophia has stopped responding to Jeff’s emails claiming she never received them. Jeff told one of the other managers he would like to fire Sophia, but knows she is an important asset to the firm. Instead, Jeff started leaving Sophia an.

1. Mediation Scenarios
Part One: Role Play
Directions: choose ONE of the following scenarios to complete
the Mediation assignment.
For this assignment you will serve as a mediator. The objective
is to gain a better understanding of the mediation process and
how each step functions. You will need to solicit the help of
two people. These two people will take on the role of disputing
parties Yeawho have come to you for mediation (use the
Mediation Scenarios document).
The Mediator
You MUST play the role of the mediator. Based on the Chapter
9 reading and the mediation steps outlined in your text, mediate
the scenario you chose from the document “Mediation
Scenarios”.
Two Volunteers
Please solicit the help of two volunteers (volunteers can be
friends, family member, or classmates). These two volunteers
will help you role play a mediation scenario. There is no
verbatim script, so volunteers are encouraged to behave the way
they feel the disputants would in a real mediation.
*Please include the names of your volunteers in your essay.
Boss-Subordinate Mediation
Recently, at XYZ Public Relations firm, a department has been
through reorganization and the employees are left feeling that
they do not know each other any longer. They are not sure who
they can trust. During the reorganization, some employees were
promoted over others who had been at XYZ longer. Some

2. employees were assigned different duties. Some feel they have
been completely left out of the loop and no longer feel like they
are a part of the department. This is starting to affect
productivity and even has caused several people to leave.
Jeff was promoted to manager of all teams. He was initially
excited about the promotion. Even though this meant longer
hours and more responsibility, Jeff was excited; he had worked
really hard and made multiple sacrifices. Jeff has always had
positive relationships with his co-workers and considers many
of them his friends.
Sophia has been with XYZ Company since she was an intern in
college. When Sophia initially learned there would only be one
manager of all the teams she assumed it would be her. She has
been there seven years longer than Jeff. Furthermore, Sophia
and her team have worked on many of the largest campaigns for
the company. Sophia is well liked and was the manager of her
own team prior to the reorganization. Now Sophia and her team
report to Jeff.
Jeff and Sophia used to work well together. Before the
reorganization, Jeff considered Sophia a friend and he thought
she would be happy for him when he received the promotion.
However, recently, Sophia has become uncollaborative. She
often undermines Jeff’s authority, criticizes ideas, and tells co-
workers he does not know what he is doing. Recently Sophia
has stopped responding to Jeff’s emails claiming she never
received them.
Jeff told one of the other managers he would like to fire Sophia,
but knows she is an important asset to the firm. Instead, Jeff
started leaving Sophia and her former team members out of key
projects. Unfortunately, this has caused a decline in creativity
and productivity. This decline caused the principle members of
XYZ Company to order Sophia and Jeff to attend mediation.
Business
Conrad owns an antique restoration business. After two years of
hard work, Conrad is starting to build a name for himself in his

3. town.
Nancy owns a small antique store in town. Most of her
inventory comes from tag sales and discoveries in musty attics.
In order to maximize profit, a careful restoration is usually
required before a piece can be sold. She started bringing items
to Conrad a year ago and has been happy with his work thus far.
On March 16, Nancy brought a very special job to Conrad; a
pair of French, 18th century, corner cabinets with marble tops
that needed some loving attention. Nancy was confident that,
properly restored, the cabinets could fetch over $40,000, and
agreed to pay Conrad $5,000 for his work, which they agreed
would be completed prior to her scheduled June 15 auction.
A few weeks after Nancy brought Conrad the cabinets, they
were smashed to pieces by one of his new assistants. As of June
10th, when Nancy called to arrange for delivery of the
completed cabinets, Conrad had still been unable to bring
himself to tell her the bad news.
On June 14th, Conrad returned the latest of Nancy’s series of
angry messages. Despite the cordial relationship the two had
enjoyed in the past, Conrad had to endure a stream of insults,
followed by a threat to sue unless he paid her the $40,000 she
expected the cabinets would have sold for at auction. Conrad, of
course, has nowhere close to $40,000 in cash.
Custody
Tim and Lauren have been separated for six months. Lauren
left with their two children and was now living with another
man (Justin) in his home. Tim had remained in their family
home. The children come to stay with him regularly.
As the months passed, Tim became increasingly concerned
about the arrangement. While staying with Tim, the children
say things that concern him about his wife’s new partner and the
attention that the children are receiving in their new home. Tim
now feels that the children would be better off living with him
in their former family home.
Lauren is convinced that she can provide their children with a

4. better home and that the children would be happier with them.
She believes the children have not adjusted to her boyfriend
Justin or his home, but she is confident they will with more
time. Lauren believes she spends the same amount of time with
the children.
Tim has tried to talk to Lauren about this issue twice; however,
it always ends in an argument. Thus, Tim hired an attorney and
plans to file for custody of the children; however, Tim’s
attorney suggested mediation.
Parents feuding
Jenny and Ashley both attend Madison Simis Elementary
School. Both girls are in the third grade and have been friends
since before they started kindergarten. One day while at recess,
Jenny hits Ashley with the jump rope. Jenny says it was an
accident, but Ashley thinks it was on purpose. Ashley tells the
teacher about what happened and the teacher calls Ashley’s
parents.
When Ashley’s parents ask her about the situation, Ashley tells
them Jenny did it on purpose. Ashley’s parents (Mr. and Mrs.
Jones) promptly call Jenny’s parents (Mr. and Mrs. Smith)
accusing them of being bad parents and raising a bully.
The Smiths are shocked and ask Jenny about the incident. She
tells her parents it was an accident. The Smiths are shocked
because the girls have played together for several years and
they have started to become friends with the Jones.
The following afternoon, at a booster club meeting, Mrs. Jones
begins yelling at Mrs. Smith again, accusing her of not knowing
how to raise her children and says girls like Jenny are just mean
girls. Mrs. Smith feels embarrassed and confused, but does not
appreciate the way Mrs. Jones is talking about Jenny.
The school principal learns about this situation. She/he knows
these two girls have been friends and the families have
traditionally been friendly. The principal also knows both
parents are influential members of the school's booster club.
Thus, the principal asks both parents to attend mediation,

5. reluctantly both agree.
Roommates
Madison and Ava have been fighting a lot lately about
inappropriate behavior with their significant others, their lack
of respect for each other, and the overall lack of cleanliness in
the common areas.
It is a Monday evening around 11:00 p.m. Madison is coming
back to her shared apartment after a long day of classes, work,
and meetings. She is looking forward to an hour of relaxation
before starting some English homework. However, she enters
her apartment to find her roommate Ava has created a huge
mess in their kitchen.
Ava is a double major, captain of the volleyball team, and
active member of student life. She often runs from one task to
the next. Ava’s family stressed the importance of being
involved and put less importance on cleanliness. Ava often feels
Madison is overreacting.
Madison tries to confront Ava about the mess in the kitchen, but
Ava’s boyfriend Mike is there again. Madison likes Mike, but
doesn’t like that Mike is always at their apartment. With Mike
always around it makes it difficult to talk to Ava about issues
surrounding the apartment. Madison has started to feel like she
has two roommates because Mike spends so much time at their
apartment.
Ava does not understand why Madison does not like Mike and
she feels like Madison is rude to him, this bothers her because
she tries to make Daniel (Madison’s Boyfriend) feel welcome in
their apartment. Ava feels like Madison should be more
accepting of Mike.
Madison and Ava learn their apartment complex offers free
mediation. Ava suggest they attend the mediation.