Question.3266 - Enclosed is my leadership class assignment . Your assistance is appreciated Find Somebody Else Ron Davis, the relatively new general manager of the machine tooling group at Parker Manufacturing, was visiting one of the plants. He scheduled a meeting with Mike Leonard, a plant manager who reported to him. RON: Mike, I’ve scheduled this meeting with you because I’ve been reviewing performance data, and I wanted to give you some feedback. I know we haven’t talked face-to-face before, but I think it’s time we reviewed how you’re doing. I’m afraid that some of the things I have to say are not very favorable. MIKE: Well, since you’re the new boss, I guess I’ll have to listen. I’ve had meetings like this before with new people who come in my plant and think they know what’s going on. RON: Look, Mike, I want this to be a two-way interchange. I’m not here to read a verdict to you, and I’m not here to tell you how to do your job. There are just some areas for improvement I want to review. MIKE: Okay, sure, I’ve heard that before. But you called the meeting. Go ahead and lower the boom. RON: Well, Mike, I don’t think this is lowering the boom. But there are several things you need to hear. One is what I noticed during the plant tour. I think you’re too chummy with some of your female personnel. You know, one of them might take offense and level a sexual harassment suit against you. MIKE: Oh, come on. You haven’t been around this plant before, and you don’t know the informal, friendly relationships we have. The office staff and the women on the floor are flattered by a little attention now and then. RON: That may be so, but you need to be more careful. You may not be sensitive to what’s really going on with them. But that raises another thing I noticed— the appearance of your shop. You know how important it is in Parker to have a neat and clean shop. As I walked through this morning, I noticed that it wasn’t as orderly and neat as I would like to see it. Having things in disarray reflects poorly on you, Mike. MIKE: I’ll stack my plant up against any in Parker for neatness. You may have seen a few tools out of place because someone was just using them, but we take a lot of pride in our neatness. I don’t see how you can say that things are in disarray. You’ve got no experience around here, so who are you to judge? RON: Well, I’m glad you’re sensitive to the neatness issue. I just think you need to pay attention to it, that’s all. But regarding neatness, I notice that you don’t dress like a plant manager. I think you’re creating a substandard impression by not wearing a tie, for example. Casualness in dress can be used as an excuse for workers to come to work in really grubby attire. That may not be safe. MIKE: Look, I don’t agree with making a big separation between the managers and the employees. By dressing like people out on the shop floor, I think we eliminate a lot of barriers. Besides, I don’t have the money to buy clothes that might get oil on them every day. That seems pretty picky to me. RON: I don’t want to seem picky, Mike. But I do feel strongly about the issues I’ve mentioned. There are some other things, though, that need to get corrected. One is the appearance of the reports you send in to division headquarters. There are often mistakes, misspellings, and, I suspect, some wrong numbers. I wonder if you are paying attention to these reports. You seem to be reviewing them superficially. MIKE: If there is one thing we have too much of, it’s reports. I could spend three quarters of my time filling out report forms and generating data for some bean counter in headquarters. We have reports coming out our ears. Why don’t you give us a chance to get our work done and eliminate all this paperwork? RON: You know as well as I do, Mike, that we need to carefully monitor our productivity, quality, and costs. You just need to get more serious about taking care of that part of your responsibility. MIKE: Okay. I’m not going to fight about that. It’s a losing battle for me. No one at headquarters will ever decrease their demand for reports. But, listen, Ron, I also have one question for you. RON: Okay. What’s that? MIKE: Why don’t you go find somebody else to pick on? I need to get back to work. Discussion Questions 1. What principles of supportive communication and supportive listening are violated in this case? 2. If you were to change this interaction to make it more productive, what would you change? 3. Categorize each of the statements by naming the rule of supportive communication that is either illustrated or violated. 4. If you were Ron, what would you do in your follow-up meeting with Mike?
Answer Below:
Enclosed is my leadership class assignment . Your assistance is appreciated Find Somebody Else Ron Davis, the relatively new general manager of the machine tooling group at Parker Manufacturing, was visiting one of the plants. He scheduled a meeting with Mike Leonard, a plant manager who reported to him. RON: Mike, I’ve scheduled this meeting with you because I’ve been reviewing performance data, and I wanted to give you some feedback. I know we haven’t talked face-to-face before, but I think it’s time we reviewed how you’re doing. I’m afraid that some of the things I have to say are not very favorable. MIKE: Well, since you’re the new boss, I guess I’ll have to listen. I’ve had meetings like this before with new people who come in my plant and think they know what’s going on. RON: Look, Mike, I want this to be a two-way interchange. I’m not here to read a verdict to you, and I’m not here to tell you how to do your job. There are just some areas for improvement I want to review. MIKE: Okay, sure, I’ve heard that before. But you called the meeting. Go ahead and lower the boom. RON: Well, Mike, I don’t think this is lowering the boom. But there are several things you need to hear. One is what I noticed during the plant tour. I think you’re too chummy with some of your female personnel. You know, one of them might take offense and level a sexual harassment suit against you. MIKE: Oh, come on. You haven’t been around this plant before, and you don’t know the informal, friendly relationships we have. The office staff and the women on the floor are flattered by a little attention now and then. RON: That may be so, but you need to be more careful. You may not be sensitive to what’s really going on with them. But that raises another thing I noticed— the appearance of your shop. You know how important it is in Parker to have a neat and clean shop. As I walked through this morning, I noticed that it wasn’t as orderly and neat as I would like to see it. Having things in disarray reflects poorly on you, Mike. MIKE: I’ll stack my plant up against any in Parker for neatness. You may have seen a few tools out of place because someone was just using them, but we take a lot of pride in our neatness. I don’t see how you can say that things are in disarray. You’ve got no experience around here, so who are you to judge? RON: Well, I’m glad you’re sensitive to the neatness issue. I just think you need to pay attention to it, that’s all. But regarding neatness, I notice that you don’t dress like a plant manager. I think you’re creating a substandard impression by not wearing a tie, for example. Casualness in dress can be used as an excuse for workers to come to work in really grubby attire. That may not be safe. MIKE: Look, I don’t agree with making a big separation between the managers and the employees. By dressing like people out on the shop floor, I think we eliminate a lot of barriers. Besides, I don’t have the money to buy clothes that might get oil on them every day. That seems pretty picky to me. RON: I don’t want to seem picky, Mike. But I do feel strongly about the issues I’ve mentioned. There are some other things, though, that need to get corrected. One is the appearance of the reports you send in to division headquarters. There are often mistakes, misspellings, and, I suspect, some wrong numbers. I wonder if you are paying attention to these reports. You seem to be reviewing them superficially. MIKE: If there is one thing we have too much of, it’s reports. I could spend three quarters of my time filling out report forms and generating data for some bean counter in headquarters. We have reports coming out our ears. Why don’t you give us a chance to get our work done and eliminate all this paperwork? RON: You know as well as I do, Mike, that we need to carefully monitor our productivity, quality, and costs. You just need to get more serious about taking care of that part of your responsibility. MIKE: Okay. I’m not going to fight about that. It’s a losing battle for me. No one at headquarters will ever decrease their demand for reports. But, listen, Ron, I also have one question for you. RON: Okay. What’s that? MIKE: Why don’t you go find somebody else to pick on? I need to get back to work. Discussion Questions 1. What principles of supportive communication and supportive listening are violated in this case? Supportive communication requires listening. It’s not a One way process. That’s why it is very important that when such type of communication takes place both the parties involved in the communication should take interest and give there feedback in a positive way. In this case some principles are violated:- 1. Supportive communication is problem oriented and not person oriented: - In this case it has been seen that apart from discussing on the problems some personal traits are also discussed. For e.g. Ron had pointed out Mike regarding his chumming with female personnel, regarding his habit of cleanliness and maintaining his shop, his dressing style, his mistakes and spellings in reports presented. 2. Descriptive, not evaluative:- Evaluative communication makes a judgment on an individual while descriptive communication is a defensive strategy and describe problem and does not evaluate it. In this case both of them became evaluative about each other rather being listening to problems and finding solutions to it. 3. Supportive communication validates rather than invalidates individuals:- Sometimes the impression is given that communicator is informed while other does not know anything, he is adequate while others not, he is competent while others are in competent thus leading to the barriers between the communicator and listener. 4. Supportive communication requires listening, not one-way message delivery:- Listening and reacting in a positive way is very important for a supportive communication. Sometimes it is observed that listener does not understand the meaning of what communicator is trying to say which leads to conflict and closed responses will take conversation to other level where no solution can be made for the problems. Here Mike had done this and thought that Ron is only trying to harm his identity and pointing towards his personal traits apart from being understanding what he want to say. 2. If you were to change this interaction to make it more productive, what would you change? If I were to change this interaction then:- ? I would try not direct comment on any personal traits of any person. ? Secondly I would listen to the problems describe and should response in a positive way to sort out those problems and try not to give closed responses. Proper feedback is to be given. ? Try to understand the problem of Mike and provide him human resource for assistance ? Would have tried to tell all the negative points in a manner which looks to be positive and motivate the other person. ? As a listener I would have kept patience and try to understand what my boss wants to say as he is experienced and would saying for my benefit rather taking it to my ego and clearly and specifically describe boss my problems so that he can help me to sort it out. 3. Categorize each of the statements by naming the rule of supportive communication that is either illustrated or violated. Statements by RON - 1. “I think it’s time we reviewed how you’re doing. I’m afraid that some of the things I have to say are not very favorable.” 2. “I think you’re too chummy with some of your female personnel.” 3. “As I walked through this morning, I noticed that it wasn’t as orderly and neat as I would like to see it. Having things in disarray reflects poorly on you, Mike.” 4. “I notice that you don’t dress like a plant manager. I think you’re creating a substandard impression by not wearing a tie, for example.” These statements leads to violation of certain principles like:- ? Violation of rule Supportive communication is problem oriented and not person oriented: - These statements are targeting on personal traits and not clearly on the problems thus creating rift between Ron and Mike. ? Violation of supportive communication is descriptive and not evaluative Ron is becoming evaluative in telling the problems to Mike rather being descriptive. He is pointing out what Mike is doing wrong. ? Violation of Supportive communication validates rather than invalidates individuals :- Here Ron is trying to make feel Mike that he knows what is correct and want Mike also to follow that which he feels right without listening to his problems. With the help of these statements we can also measure some principles that are followed- ? Supportive communication is owned, not disowned. :- here Ron is taking the full responsibility of his statements to Mike as he is using I me mine type of words which is good. ? Supportive communication is based on congruence, not incongruence. :- Here it is the good action by Ron that he is speaking what he feels. ? Supportive communication is specific (useful), not global (useless). :- Here the useless things are not pointed out all specific statements with specific line are made to Mike. Statements by Mike:- ? ”Well, since you’re the new boss, I guess I’ll have to listen. I’ve had meetings like this before with new people who come in my plant and think they know what’s going on.” ? “: I’ll stack my plant up against any in Parker for neatness. You may have seen a few tools out of place because someone was just using them, but we take a lot of pride in our neatness. I don’t see how you can say that things are in disarray.” ? “You’ve got no experience around here, so who are you to judge?” ? “Why don’t you go find somebody else to pick on? I need to get back to work.” Mike has violated the principle of Supportive communication requires listening, not one-way message delivery:- Listening and reacting in a positive way is very important for a supportive communication. Sometimes it is observed that listener does not understand the meaning of what communicator is trying to say which leads to conflict and closed responses will take conversation to other level where no solution can be made for the problems. Here Mike had done this and thought that Ron is only trying to harm his identity and pointing towards his personal traits apart from being understanding what he wants to say. Mike should not have made any presumptions about Ron. 4. If you were Ron, what would you do in your follow-up meeting with Mike? If I were Ron I will take following steps:- ? Firstly I will prepare minutes for the meeting I had with Mike. ? Secondly I will review the discussions made between us and evaluate the consequences. ? Thirdly Agenda should be plan out for next meeting and try to eliminate the mistakes made in these conversations and try to understand the situations and handle it that ways. ? Fourthly try to keep a watch on actions of mike whether does any actions are taking place and is there any change in any action. ? Fifthly will try to solve the problem of mike regarding reports and there maintenance and hire assistants for his help.More Articles From Business Management
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