A Collaborative Case Analysis

A Collaborative Case Analysis

Scenario 1

Lisa Chandler – Team Leader

Todd Angell

Samantha Baxter-Nard

Odessa Edwards

Keller Graduate School of Management

MGMT570 – Managing Conflict in the Workplace

Prof. Mary Welsh

August 3, 2015

Contents

Introduction        

Conflict Assessment        

Situation Analysis        

Recommendations:        

Conclusion        

References        

Appendix A        

Introduction

Conflicts are inevitable situations in any environment when more than one person is involved. Dealing with conflicts can be difficult if proper conflict assessment, situation analysis and application of conflict management strategies are not learned and implemented.

Conflict Assessment

Scenario 1, as described by Goodwin & Griffith, involve several conflicts Joe is experiencing in his attempts to balance work, school and family responsibilities and manage his time more efficiently to be a more effective manager. At work there are problems involving a difficult employee at the customer service desk and the need to fill the team leader position. At home Joe feels he has been neglecting his family, his daughter and pregnant wife, and falling behind in his school work because he has been putting in more hours filling the role of the team leader as well as managing his own job responsibilities. (See Appendix A for full scenario.)

The emotions involved in this particular case include that of Jim Talent and his desire to improve customer service; Jim is losing his patience trying improve revenues and stay on top of Joe to fill the open position. Jim wants to help Joe, but his business is suffering. Tina is being difficult, dealing with her own problems at home, exhibiting angry emotions toward customers and disgust with her position. Joe is experiencing stress working so many hours, he is fearful that his studies will fall behind and that he is neglecting his family and the responsibilities that go with it. Joe believes that the answer to his problem is to reduce his work hours to catch up on his school work and family responsibilities.

In addition to the issues and emotions involved in this scenario, Joe needs to maintain the relationships. Joe needs to determine what approach he should take to resolve his conflict with Tina because she has always been a good employee but recently her actions toward customers could have dire consequences for the company’s customer service reputation (Griffith & Goodwin, 2013, p. 351). Jim likes Joe and sees so much of himself in him. Jim wants to help Joe but also wants Joe to make an attempt to solve problems on his own and not be afraid to do so (Griffith & Goodwin, 2013, p. 350).