Shir1ey and Abdulboth work for a software development company.

A Ctse Study on Conflict Management

Sh rtey and Abdulboth work for a software development company. Tile manager of the new product d vision was
originally the leader of the project team fur whichshe interviewed and hired Abdul . Sh rtcy. anothlY project team
membl'f°,also interviewed Abdul, but strong y opposed h ring h m ror the project because she thought he was not
cornoet.Cflt to do the job.
Seven months af\ct" Abdu.Iwas h red,the manages-left the project to start her own oompany and rocommendcd th<lt
Abduland
Shitley senre as Joint ptOjeCt 1 ers.. Shir1ey agreed reluctanUy-wilh the stipulation lhat it be made Clear she wc.s not
WOtl<ing tor
Abdul. The General Manager consented;Shfrtey and Abdulwere to share the project leadership.
Within a month Shfrtey was angry because Abdulwas representing himself to others as the leader of the entire project
and giving the impression that Shirtey was working for him. Now Shirley and Abdulare meeting with you to see if you
can resolve the conflict between them..
Sh rtey says:*Right after the jointleadership arrangement was reached with the General Managl'f°,Abdul called a
meeting of the project team without evenconsulting me about the time or oontcnt. Mc just told me whCfl t was be ng
hekl and saiIshou d be there. At tfle meeting,A.IXl11.1I reviewed everyone's duties tine by line,indll.IClingmine.treating
me as just another team member working for him. He sends out letters and Signs himself as project d rector,wtlidl
otwiousty mples to olhers that I am wotl<ing for' hm.·
Abdul says: shirteyis all hung up with feelings of power and tides. Just because sign myself as project director
doesn't mean she s working for me.Idon't see anything to get excited about. What difference does it make? She s too
sensitive about eVef'Ything. Icall a meeting and right away she thinks I'm trying to run everyth ng. Shirley has other
things to do•othcr projects to l\ln-so she <toesn't pay too much attention to th s one. She mosuylets th ngs sttc:te. 6ut
when take theinitial:ive to set up a meeting,she sttwts jumping uJ) and down about how Iam l:T)'ing to make her- work
for me.·
Question RegardingTh sc:onnict
1. Abduland Shirtey seem to have several conflicts occurring simultaneously. dentify as many of theseind vidual
conflicts as
possible.
2.. What are the possi.ble ways to dealwith the oonflict between Abduland Shirtey (not just the ones that you would
recommend, but allor the options)?
3. Given allthe bcnc6ts of retrospection,what could or should have been done to avoid this conflid in the 6rst place?