who’s in charge

Read the Mediation Scenario below and post your responses. Please make sure that you have read Chapters 4, 5, and 6 in Elements of Mediation prior to addressing this assignment. Make sure that you are adhering to the requirements for Discussion Posts as set forth in the syllabus. In addition, the Rubric “Weekly Discussions” from the syllabus will be used to help assess this assignment.

WHO’S IN CHARGE?

JANET & ANNIE

General Instructions

Janet and Annie work in the same six-person office. Janet’s title is senior office assistant, and she has been in this office seven years. She does a lot of typing and telephoning and making appointments but also performs some of the functions of an office manager, such as ordering supplies, arranging the annual office party, and calling the payroll service when the checks don’t arrive on time. When there is a vacancy, Janet is the one who puts the ad in the paper and collects applications, though her boss does the interviewing and hiring. Annie has been here two years. She handles all the computer data entry and other record keeping. She backs up everyone’s computer weekly and can sometimes help with problems others experience with their machines. She also fills in for the receptionist while she is at lunch. When Annie first came, she thought Janet was an equal, though somewhat more familiar with the office. She now knows that Janet thinks she is loftier, and Annie resents that. Both have complained to their boss. Annie says Janet is constantly telling her what to do, interrupting her demanding work by insisting that she do some other task, and criticizing her in front of others. Janet says Annie is uncooperative, is always bothering other people by stopping at their desks to chat, and destroys the smooth operation of the office by coming back from lunch very late, so that the receptionist is always complaining to Janet about having to go late. Yesterday afternoon they had a very loud argument, screaming insults at each other. Their boss threatened to fire them both unless they resolved their differences. A co-worker suggested mediation. Annie called to request mediation, and Janet agreed.

Janet’s Point of View:

You aren’t really sure this mediation is a good idea. You agreed out of fear — when your boss told you and Annie to shut up and threatened to fire you both, you really thought you might lose your job. On reflection now you think your boss is not going to fire you. You make this office run. Without you it would come to a halt, and your boss knows that. All you did yesterday was criticize Annie for being late from lunch. She was 25 minutes late! She totally flew off the handle and started calling you ignorant and pushy and bitchy! She is the one who should be fired. She has never worked smoothly with you (or the others, though they don’t complain), and the office would be better off without her. You especially resent her remarks about your grammar. She is always correcting what you say and implying she knows so much more. She is just a computer operator, and they are a dime a dozen. Any criticism you make of her is related to work, like her extremely messy desk and always being late. You believe you get paid much more than she does (though you don’t actually know how much she makes). You expect to be in this office many years and do not want any black marks on your record because of her.

Annie’s Point of View:

You know you shouldn’t have lost your temper yesterday, but Janet had been particularly nasty the past few days, and you had had it. You often skip lunch or work late and don’t feel you have done anything wrong by taking a few extra minutes for lunch once in a while. Where does she get off telling you what to do anyway! You don’t work for her. You once heard her tell someone (she makes a lot of personal phone calls) that she is the office manager, but she isn’t. Your checked with your boss. She bosses everybody around, though, and the others just take it. You tried to make friends with her at first, but she acted so superior that you gave up. She is not actually very smart. Her English grammar is terrible, and she doesn’t know the first thing about computers. You probably won’t stay in this office very long, but you don’t want to be fired now. You want to have time to find another good job — there are plenty out there — and want a good recommendation from your boss.

Discussion Items: As the Mediator

• Prepare an opening statement for this mediation.
• Analyze the negotiating distance between the two parties.
• Generate options and alternatives for Janet and Annie to consider.
• Analyze the costs and benefits for Janet and Annie to consider in whether or not they are able to resolve this conflict.
• Discuss ways to equalize and stabilize power between the parties for the purposes of this mediation.
• How would you effectively us the Caucus method to aid this mediation?

Remember to respond to the posts of others and to provide feedback that is both critical and compassionate.