You manage a team of 6 laboratory technicians.  The working relationship has always been harmonious and cooperative.  The team work well together.  They often go out together for drinks after work on a Friday night.

Rod and Danny are two of your team members.  They have always had a very good, friendly relationship and often collaborated in completing tasks.  Recently you have noticed that Rod is avoiding Danny.  Danny appears withdrawn.  On a number of occasions in the past few weeks Danny has called in sick.

You arrange a private meeting with Danny and ask him about the problem.  Danny says that he always thought of Rod as a good friend, even though they didn’t socialise outside of work, apart from drinks on a Friday night.  He thought he knew Rod well enough to trust him and confide some personal information.  Danny confided that he was gay, in a committed relationship for the last 3 years.  After this, Rod’s attitude towards him changed completely.  He avoided him, wouldn’t speak to him or work with him.  Danny admitted that he was very upset by Rod’s behaviour.  Rod also told all the other members of the team that Danny was gay.  As a result, Danny now feels uncomfortable coming to work at all.

You follow up by having a private meeting with Rod.  He is very defensive.  He says he feels betrayed.  Because he and Danny were closer than the other team members, others might think he is gay as well.  He thinks Danny was dishonest not telling him right at the outset that he was gay.  Rod thinks being gay is weird and sick.  He doesn’t want to be associated with such a person.

As a result of these two meetings, you gain the agreement of both Danny and Rod to have a private meeting where you act as mediator.  In fact, there is a fine line in this case between mediation and negotiation, because you have a stake in achieving a satisfactory result.  There are key points that you will need to explain to both parties.  Rod is in breach of anti-discrimination legislation and may face disciplinary proceedings unless his behaviour improves.  However, the ideal solution is to facilitate an understanding, mutual respect and cooperation between the two men.

You decide to do some research first and discover:

• Psychological research and statistics indicate that homophobia is more prevalent in people who believe homosexuality is a personal choice, whereas it is in fact physical.
• Homosexuality in men is much more prevalent than in women. Statistics indicate one in ten men are homosexual – either latent or practising.
• Psychological testing supports (but does not prove) the theory that homophobia in men is rooted in fear that they, themselves, may have homosexual tendencies or may be “aggressively seduced” by a homosexual male.

• Make notes in the table below in preparation for the mediation, using the prompts to focus your thoughts.

• Arrange to conduct the mediation session with two other people acting in the role of Danny and Rod, observed by your assessor.
• Conduct the mediation session
• Ask your assessor to provide you with the completed observation form and feedback on your performance.