Question

Role Play Question.

Bob is a mechanical engineer and drafting supervisor for a company that designs and manufactures chip-making equipment for the semiconductor industry. Bob is upset because he was promised, and expected training in new drafting software. The draftsmen who worked for Bob were trained but he was not. (Training is expensive $4,000.00 per person). Susan, his boss needed to get the budget down, and knowing that Bob is a ‘nice guy,’ figured he probably wouldn’t mind so much if he wasn’t trained. Bob is also highly intelligent, and Susan determined that he could figure out the new software on his own. As it turned out, Bob did mind. In fact, he became disgruntled and unmotivated.

He decided to talk to you, a top manager at the organization (Susan’s boss). What should you say to him?

Answer 1

Knowing the importance of the training and development, my interaction with Susan would involve sum total of the following things:

• I would listen to the Bob and try to understand the situation from his perspective. I will try to understand the interaction that has gone by and what was promised to Bob.
• I will try to understand why Bob feels that training is mandatory and if try to gauge it by doing a training needs assessment.
• I will communicate to Bob how the lack of motivation on his part is quite justified because of what Bob has gone through which involved promises but at the same time will try to console him how it was all done as a part of the tight budget which Susan has been given and it should not be taken personally.
• I will tell Bob how I am a strong proponent of treating training as an Investment activity and assure would personally talk to Susan if we see that you require training.
• I will assure Bob that I will talk to Susan and ask for show-cause notice for taking decisions unilaterally without having a consultative discussion with you.
• I will assure Bob that we will not cut back on training as a part of cost-cutting measures wherever we come to know that training needs assessment mandates training.

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