Question

Here is your chance to analyze an actual co-worker conflict situation and make suggestions on how to positively resolve this issue.

The #1 people issue I have is with a younger employee who has been speaking over me in meetings with external vendors.

I approached one of my co-workers to ask if they noticed it as well and they said of course - they were actually angrier than I was.

During the next few meetings, I attempted different techniques to see if she'd notice she was talking over me but it was still happening. Eventually, I pulled her aside and told her the issue I was having with her during meetings and explained it made us look unprofessional.

It worked for a few months but she ended up going back to her old ways. From then on, whenever she spoke over me in meetings, I would stop talking immediately and let her finish her sentence.

Sometimes she got flustered and would look back to me to finish up her thoughts but I wouldn't cut in.

I hope it reflected negatively on her, and not myself or the company.

1. The employee relaying her upset used 2 conflict styles. What are they and discuss their effectiveness in this situation? .
2. What is probably the root of this employee’s discontent? As well, why do you suppose the younger employee is interrupting this employee? Your answer will need to dig below the surface statements.
3. As the manager of these two employees, how would you resolve this conflict? State the conflict resolution style you will use and the specific steps you will take.

WANT LONG PARAGRAPH FOR EACH. PLEASE DONT COPY FROM PREVIOUS QUESTION OR INTERNET. THANKS

Answer 1

Q-1: The employee relaying her upset used 2 conflict styles. What are they and discuss their effectiveness in this situation? (4 marks).

A: The senior employee relaying her upset used the avoiding and the accommodating conflict styles. An avoiding conflict style was used to try and avoid confrontation and skirt around the issue by trying to ignore it instead of addressing it. This is not effective for finding a solution as it only increases resentment and delays finding a solution because the person avoiding the situation is only interested in keeping the peace and is not happy with the situation. Accommodating conflict styles is also a way of trying to delay a solution by foregoing ones own needs to maintain the peace and allowing only the other side to get their way. However, the problems continues to fester and builds up inside the person accommodating the other and is not an effective solution.

Q-2: What is probably the root of this employee’s discontent? As well, why do you suppose the younger employee is interrupting this employee? Your answer will need to dig below the surface statements.  (2 marks)

A: The root of this employee's discontent is the younger employee who has been speaking over her in meetings with external vendors. The younger employee was displaying a conflict in terms of competing with the senior one. While healthy competition is good it should not be aggressive or hostile which can lead to breakdown in communication and create a negative perception and impact especially in the presence of external vendors. Possibly the younger employee wanted to show her knowledge and expertise and was competing in the meeting space to show her competency. Perhaps the younger employee wanted to compete with the older employee because she is not getting enough opportunities to showcase her work outside of meetings. Perhaps the younger employee is not able to understand that by interrupting it is rude but instead views it as a form of collaborating with her senior trying to be participative and enthusiastic, it is just a matter of time before it is addressed and a permanent solution must be found quickly to prvent further conflict between the two employees. This is psychological and a matter of perception.

Q-3: As the manager of these two employees, how would you resolve this conflict? State the conflict resolution style you will use and the specific steps you will take. (4 marks)

A: The manager needs to address this festering conflict situation adequately and prompty, the conflict needs to be addressed and closed quickly to create a conducive work environment and cut the negative perceptions being created in meetings with external vendors. The manager needs to employ a combination of a collaborative and a compromising conflict style towards resolution. Collaborating will allow for both employees to work together to iron out differences and find ways to support each other and a compromising style will allow them to share and have a give and take which will find a mutually agreed strategy which will be balancing both employees needs and emotions. The first step is to have meetings with each employee separately and understand their view points then call them in together to discuss and provide a solution giving reasons as to why they were chosen under the situation. The best way forward is to initially have pre-meeting briefings and discuss on each ones role and what to say and when before proceeding until things settle down and everyone is clear and have understood the roles. Also, one may have to analyze whether the younger employee is required to attend the meeting since she may not be having responsibility at this point of time or rotate the attendance of meetings to give everyone an opportunity to participate and perform. These are some of the possibilities that can be used on a case-to-case basis.