What Would You Do?

Dawn Burke, director of employee relations, glanced at her online calendar and
remembered her appointment at 3:00 P.M. today. She quickly found the filed labeled “McCullen and
Aranda” and started preparing for the meeting. She recalled that this was essentially an employee-
supervisor case, where the employee had been unwilling or unable to meet the supervisor’s
requests. The employee claimed that the supervisor was too demanding and impatient. Their
conflict had escalated to the point that both were unhappy and uncomfortable in the work
environment. Other employees had noticed, and overheard, some of the conflict.

In her role, Dawn was responsible for many programs, including a new mediation initiative
to resolve workplace conflict. The program was designed to help employees develop stronger
communication and conflict resolution skills. In this case, the program was also providing an
intermediary step between informal and formal discipline. Today, she was meeting with both
parties to discuss mediation guidelines, a time line, their goal, and their general points of conflict.

John McCullen, fifty-one, a buyer in the facilities department, and Terry Aranda, the director
of facilities procurement, arrived separately. John had been with the company for thirty-two years
and had started his career with the company right out of high school. Terry, thirty-one, was hired
from another firm to oversee the procurement area a year ago and recently graduated from a
prestigious M.B.A. program. Dawn started the meeting by reviewing the mediation guidelines and
time line. She reminded John and Terry that their goal was to develop a workable and agreeable
solution to the current situation. Dawn then asked for each party to explain his or her position on
the conflict.

John began, “Ms Aranda is a very smart lady. She seems to know the buying and
procurement area, but she knows less about the company and its history. I am not sure she has
taken the time to learn our ways and values. Ms Aranda is impatient with our use of the new
software and computer system. Some of us don’t have college degrees, and we haven’t been using
computers since we were young. I started working at this company about the time she was born,
and I am not sure that her management style is good for your department. Everything was going
pretty well until we starting changing our systems.”

Terry commented, “John is a valuable member of the department, as he knows everyone at

this company. I appreciate his knowledge and loyalty. On the other hand, he has not completed
several tasks in a timely manner, nor has he asked for an extension. I feel that I must check up on
his schedule and proof all of his work. John has attended several training classes, and I asked that
he use an electronic calendar so that projects are completed on time. He continues to ignore my
advice and deadlines. We’ve had several conversations, but John’s work has not substantially
improved. We have many goals to achieve in the department, and I need everyone’s best work in
order to make that happen.”

Dawn thanked them for their candor and told them she would meet with them next week to
start the mediation process. As she contemplated what each had said, she remembered an article
that discussed how people born in different generations often have contrasting perceptions about
work. Dawn started to jot a few notes about the next steps in resolving their conflict. What would
you do?

Thorne/Ferrell/Ferrell (2008) “Business and Society: A Strategic Approach to Social Responsibility” (3 rd ed.)
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, pp. 249-250.