Consider the scenario below. You are a senior Director in the same company, but
ID: 380096 • Letter: C
Question
Consider the scenario below. You are a senior Director in the same company, but in a different division (neither Ann, Chris nor Dale report to you – but their mentors are your peers). As part of the company’s leadership development program, you have recently been assigned as Ann’s mentor. Identify and use one of the conflict analysis models to fully assess the scenario below. Describe your strategies (if there is one). Most importantly, what advice do you give her?
Scenario: Ann has been working for several years for an electrical contracting company. Ann started off in the front office but has recently moved out on the road as a salesperson, obtaining business for the company. Ann doesn’t have any qualifications in the electrical field, but she does know a lot about what’s required and is able to talk to customers about their needs and suggest solutions to them. From the beginning of her new job as salesperson, Ann has achieved considerable success. In fact Ann has become more successful than Chris, the one other salesperson who has been doing the job for five years. Ann also has a desire to move up in the business and would eventually like to manage the office; so the position in sales is heading her in the right direction. Ann is very enthusiastic, always at work on time, and is the consummate professional.
The problem Ann has is with Chris; however her manager, Dale doesn’t seem to notice what’s going on. Ann feels that she is given all the ‘dirty’ jobs by Chris. Jobs such as running across town to deliver components, doing the paper work for Chris because it’s been left too late, writing up quotations for clients because Chris is out on site and so on. In fact twice this last month and three times the month before, Ann was late getting her own quotations finished because of this work she was doing for Chris. This is starting to affect Ann work as well annoying her. Ann’s clients are ringing her up and complaining. Ann doesn’t know the reason why Chris is giving her these jobs, but she seems to get them done and it’s become a catch 22. The more she gets done, the more Chris gives her.
Last week, Ann was working on her biggest quotation so far. She had a tight deadline but had a good feeling about it. Chris gave Ann one of his job plans to complete and told her it was urgent. Ann went and complained to Dale, but all she was told was ‘Chris was senior to her and she should do as she was told’. Dale didn't seem to understand her needs at all. In fact, according to Ann she thought at the time that Dale didn’t think her work was important and she was making out her quotation to be bigger than it really was. Ann also is aware that Chris and Dale are good friends and that friendship extends to out of work occasions.
Ann has spent most of last night working on another quote, which has had an impact on her home life. When she got to work this morning, all she had time to do was finish some costing to complete the quote. However Chris just assigned her another project plan to cost this morning and didn’t seem to care whether she had any work or not. This was the ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’. Ann is about to go and see Chris and have it out; however she called you first (giving a recount of this morning’s events) and wanted to know your advice.
Explanation / Answer
Let us simplify the scenario first:
Finally following are the aspects that Ann shold perform: