High Performance: Getting rid of the boss

Brief of the case

The case is about the conflict between staff and their new boss. This conflict
happened when the previous boss was moved sideways because of his ineffective
management; he resented being moved to another job and then tried to stir up the
staff in his old department to make life difficult for his replacement. The staff began to
see that change was to be forced upon them and sought ways to undermine their new
boss by spreading the negative rumor of the new bosss life (he had no experiences
management and did not receive any training). However, senior manager did not do
any action to this matter. The conflict became more serious: escalating resentment,
frustration, a sense of grievance among everyone involved. Staff even sent three
anonymous letters of the inappropriate behavior and general lack of capacity in the
new manager to senior manager. Investigation failed to reveal the source of those
letters but the situation did not improve. After 6 months, the new boss asked to be
moved to the other job. A new boss was recruited outside but she did not also change
the situation. Finally, the department closed down when the product line they
supported was sold.
1. Which (if any) of the conflict-handing strategies discussed in the chapter
are evident in this example?
In this example, it is clearly that conflict management is discussed. However, in
this case, conflict management was illustrated through creating and increasing conflict
between everyone in this department. The conflict between staff and new boss are not
managed ineffectively. To be specific, staff tried to seek ways to undermine new boss:
they sent three anonymous letters of the inappropriate behavior and general lack of
capacity in the new manager. It can be said that these activities created conflict in the
department. While senior manager made no attempt to ensure that staff took the
situation seriously. This increased an appropriate level of conflict. It is particularly
true of this example as escalating resentment, frustration, a sense of grievance and
unresolved conflict among everyone involved appeared. Because of poor conflict

management of the department, negative rumors of the capacity and personal life of
the new boss spread and the staff would not talk directly to him. Life became difficult
for the new boss. However, senior management would not take any direct action to
change matters. Customer service, work quality and accuracy deteriorated further and
the atmosphere in the department grew ever more hostile.
2. Imagine that you were in the new boss in the department described. Which
conflict handing strategies would you seek to apply in seeking to deal with the
situation? Justify your answer and outline any contingency plans that you would
develop?
If I were in the new boss in the department described, I would seek conflictresolution strategy to apply in seeking to deal with the situation. Because it focus on
those approaches that aim at reducing and solving conflict which conflict management
of the department did not complete. By resolving conflict successfully, it brings many
benefits:
- Increased understanding: this expands staffs awareness of the situation, giving
them an insight into how they can achieve their own goals without undermining their
new boss.
- Increased group cohesion: When conflict is resolved effectively, staff can develop
stronger mutual respect and a renewed faith in their ability to work together with their
new boss.
- Improved self-knowledge: Conflict pushes individuals to examine their goals in
close detail, helping them understand the things that are most important to them,
sharpening their focus, and enhancing their effectiveness.
Collaborating would be a good approach to Conflict Resolution. The reasons are:
The collaboration style involves parties working together to resolve issues, and
both sides come to win-win attitudes where staff and new boss must agree on the final
and improve their relationship. While other conflict resolution strategies such as
avoiding conflict involves one of the conflicted parties avoiding communicating about
or confronting the problem. Thus, the conflict between the staff and the new boss are
never resolved; Compromising style is good but may be better for conflict resolution

among employees and results in interim solutions when a full resolution is not
immediately possible; Competition style shows assertiveness which might involve
high levels of emotions and then evolve into hostile communications. As the result,
the conflict may become worse.
Contingency plans that I would develop I were in the new boss in the department
described:
Talking directly to senior manager about conflict in the department which affects
badly on customer service and work quality of the company. This makes senior
manager have to take action to change the matter. Then I would ask for a meeting
immediately with staff when I realize the conflict. The meeting should be operated by
the senior manager with the role in mediating to help resolve this conflict.
In the meeting, firstly, new boss gives each staff an opportunity to share sensitive
information, ask for what staff needs, apologize his role in the conflict, or
acknowledge the positive and negative aspects of his working relationship. Appreciate
and praise the other part in the conflict. Outlining the consequences of the conflict
shows why its necessary to resolve the conflict. It also helps staff to look beyond
themselves and see the conflict from the outside.Tell them the reason why its worth
to solve the conflict by giving evidence of bad work quality which is very essential to
improve immediately. If not, the department would close down and staff may have no
job. Next, asking for specific actions that can be implemented right away from staffs
ideas. Personally, I am sure that staff often put aside conflict and tend to focus on how
to keep their job. This is particularly true of the case from business contexts. For
example, when an employee has two choices between losing job together with
unresolved individuals conflict and keeping job together with successful conflict
resolution, he/she will go with the first choice because this ensures their benefits:
finance and relationship in their life. Then, new boss needs to ask for staffs
collaboration which improve their relationship and work quality: requesting staff
focus on the jobs duties, setting regulations/punishment for ineffective job
performance (regulations/punishment is applied for all staff and new boss) as well as
staff must talk directly to him as raising any problem. Furthermore, he should promise

to improve his ability through participating training course which improves his work
ability and makes staff trust his ability, display a willingness to address new problems.
Last but least, senior manager must ensure implemented collaboration and appreciate
as well as Praise that job performance. To sum up, I suppose this strategy type help
Change their word choices (for example, them becomes us) which helps resolve
the conflict.
Reference
1. John Martin and Martin Fellenz (2010), Organizational behaviour and
management 4th, Conflict and Negotiation, page 315-317
2.

Resolving

Conflict

Rationally

and

Effectively.

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