Practice Areas:
• Employment/Workplace
• Organizational
Contact us today to schedule your mediation!
By phone: +1 949 667 0402
By email: [email protected]
“I specialize exclusively in resolving destructive workplace or business disputes. This includes individuals, teams, inter-department, or inter-organizational conflicts.
Benefits of Workplace Mediation According to a 2011 Conflict Management survey, the main benefit in using mediation is improving relationships between individuals, cited by 80% of respondents, to reduce or eliminate the stress involved in more formal processes (64%) and to avoid the costs involved in defending employment claims (52%).
Other benefits to include:
• retaining valuable employees (63%)
• reducing the number of formal grievances raised (57%)
• developing an organizational culture that focuses on managing and developing people (55%)
As a mediator I am dedicated to helping people resolve conflicts, improve relationships marred by conflict and move forward leading to sound business, professional and personal relationships.
I understand that the word “conflict” raises all sorts of emotions. For some, conflict provides excitement and stimulation, while for others conflict causes discomfort and anxiety. Whatever the reaction, understanding and managing conflict successfully is a key personal and organizational competence.
All efforts are directed toward bringing parties in dispute together and encouraging them to construct solutions that will satisfy their needs and bring an end to controversy. I ensure that the parties work to solve their issues and concerns in an atmosphere of shared information and decision-making.” – Orlando E. Blake, PhD CPT
BIOGRAPHY: As a Certified Performance Technologist (CPT), Licensed Unitive™ Coach and Certified Mediator Dr. Blake’s more than 25 years of experience is uniquely diverse. His clients come from commercial printing, consumer products, food processing, healthcare, heavy engineering construction, government, utilities, entertainment, defense and tribal businesses.
Orlando is a Founding Fellow of the Institute for Professional Coaching Association at Mclean Hospital a Harvard Medical School Affiliate. He received his masters from the University of Southern California, with a specialization in applied behavioral sciences. He followed this with a doctorate and breakthrough research at Claremont Graduate University that discovered unique techniques to resolve disputes. Harvard has included his research in their study of critical moments in negotiation.
He served on the Mediation and Mediator Mentor Panels for the Los Angeles County Superior Courts, and Inland Valley Mediation & Arbitration Services (IVAMS) mediation panel. Orlando was awarded Certificates Appreciation and a letter of merit from County of Los Angeles, California, Superior Courts for his contribution to alternative dispute resolution.
Orlando’s business experience includes senior executive positions for Warner Bros, Mercantile National Bank and Guess? Inc. After leaving corporate life, he provided key executive career services and personal coaching for Lee, Hecht, Harrison and Right Consultants in Southern California.
In addition to Dr. Blake’s nationally recognized consulting and coaching practice he was a consulting editor for Personnel Policy Manual™ and HRMatters™, and a columnist for the maquilladora-focused Twin Plant News™.
Dr. Blake’s books include:
• Leading the Total Quality Mission: aligning principles, practices & management
• Leading Continuous Improvement: building capability & commitment
• Leading Total Quality: management’s role in aligning leadership & total quality practices
• POWW! Mediation & Facilitation for HR Professionals
• POWW! Stop Fighting & Start Talking for Managers
• Investigations at Work: the art of fact-finding & investigating employee complaints
• Career On! Creating career clarity and confidence, and avoiding a career cul-desac.
• Life’s Path: make a choice that brings you happiness
Dr. Blake taught for the Department of Law & Public Policy at University of California, Riverside Extension and also sat on the advisory for the Certificate in Dispute Resolution. For Claremont Graduate University he teaches in the School of Organizational & Behavioral Sciences and he is an Adjunct Professor for University of Arizona South’s Commerce Program.
As a result of his commitment to human potential and performance improvement, he was awarded the experienced professional designation of Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) form the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI).
EDUCATION & TRAINING
• Claremont Graduate University, Ph.D., 1999
• Dissertation – Turning points in mediation: an examination of disputant resolution behaviors in mediations.
• University of Southern California
• Master of Public Administration – 1985
• Emphasis in Applied Behavioral Sciences
• Certified Mediator, Claremont Dispute Resolution Center, California Dispute Resolution Programs Act
• Mediation Training Institute, Eckerd College, Certified Mediator and Trainer Certified Legal Investigator: Center for Legal Studies & California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Certified Evaluator
• True Colors™ Certified Trainer & Associate
• Consulting Psychologists Press: Certified Level B Provider
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
• Association for Conflict Resolution, Workplace Section
• Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
• International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI
PAST EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
• The Blake Group Organizational Consulting LLC, Elgin, AZ (1993 to Present) President Specializing in Leadership & Executive Coaching, Conflict Resolution & Organization Effectiveness, Team Building, Performance Management Systems, Leadership Coaching, and Conflict Resolution. Innovative mediator, human resources, executive coach and organization development consultant with diverse experience in manufacturing, consumer products, banking, entertainment, pharmaceutical, and tribal businesses.
• Inland Valley Arbitration & Mediation Service, Pomona, CA (1997-2001) Mediation Panel Member
• Right Management Consultants, Pasadena, CA (1997-2001) Key Executive Services Coach (Subcontractor)
• Lee Hecht Harrison, South Pasadena, CA (1994-1997) Key Executive Services Trainer and Coach (Subcontractor)
• GUESS?, Inc., Los Angeles, California (1991 – 1993) Director of Human Resources Responsible to the president of a $580 million apparel manufacturer and retailer with 2,300 employees and 90 stores across the United States.
• Mercantile National Bank, Century City, California (1990 – 1991) Senior Vice President Reported to the president and was a member of the executive committee of a $400 million commercial and entertainment community bank with 200 employees.
• Warner Bros., Inc. (subsidiary of Time Warner, Inc.), Burbank, California (1984 – 1990)
Director of Human resources Directed the North American human resource operations for a subsidiary of the world’s largest entertainment company with 2,750 union, professional, technical, and executive employees in 20 locations.
AWARDS
• Harvard Law School, Program On Negotiation (PON), inclusion of research in study of critical moments in mediation and negotiation project.
• Letter of Recognition – from Supervising Judge of County of Los Angeles, CA, Superior Courts.
• Certificate of Appreciation for Arbitration – from Presiding Judge for Pasadena Unified Courts, Superior Courts of California, Alternate Dispute Resolution Program.