Case Study: Conflict Styles and Collaboration

Case Study: Conflict Styles and Collaboration

Subject: Communications    / General Communications
Question

Case Study: Conflict Styles and Collaboration

For this writing assignment, you will select ONE factual case from the list above and you will write a 3-5-page conflict assessment that you will present as a case study. In your case study, please make sure to address the following:

1. Describe the selected conflict case and outline the issues that are generating conflict.

2. Identify the dynamics that exist in the facts of the case selected.

3. Analyze the factual situation in terms of the five responses to conflict (avoidance, accommodation, aggression, compromise, and collaboration). Present a detailed case analysis applying the facts of your selected factual situation to each of these responses. In your analysis, present reasons for employing each of these responses (i.e. reasons for avoiding, reasons for compromising, etc.).

4. Assume that you have been asked to collaborate the conflict. Present a detailed case analysis of the seven steps identified in your reading (pages 25-27) that could be attempted and the strategies that could be employed to resolve the conflict. Assess the likely results using each of these steps and strategies.

Attention to Detail

Jim Flannery retired from the Air Force as a Chief Master Sergeant and immediately went to

work as the director of an air museum. His job, among other things, was to recruit, train, and

supervisor volunteers who did much of the work at the museum. Volunteers did all kinds of work

at the museum: gave tours, restored aircraft, and maintained the building and property. The

volunteers were really the backbone of the museum operation. Lyle Bettendorf was a volunteer

at the museum. Lyle was a few years younger than Jim and was forced into early retirement

because of chronic back pain. Lyle had been an aeronautical engineer and no one disputed that

he knew the design and structure of aircraft inside and out. Lyle proved invaluable to the

museum because of his knowledge of aircraft and his ability to direct the restoration of aircraft

acquired by the museum. But Jim and Lyle were often at odds.

Lyle preferred to be given a task and then to be given a free reign to complete the task as he

saw fit. As a professional engineer, he thought he should be judged only on the basis of the final

product. But Jim had another way of approaching tasks: he thought it was important to have

regular reviews of progress on a task. Jim thought how a task was done was just as important

as the final product. Lyle and Jim had a showdown over one project.

When the Air Force decommissioned the last of their fleet of F-4 jet fighters, one was donated to

the museum. The one that was donated was, well, not in very good shape. It had been out of

service for some time and some parts had been removed. Jim took one look at the aircraft when

it arrived by truck (in pieces) at the museum and knew that restoring the aircraft was going to be

a big job. He asked Lyle to assess the aircraft and estimate the volunteer labor hours and

material costs that restoration would require. The estimate came in within budget, so Jim gave

Lyle the go-ahead to start restoration, fully expecting (although not explicitly stating his

expectation) periodic reports on the progress about the restoration.

After a month passed Jim had not received any word about the project from Lyle. He tried

unsuccessfully to reach Lyle at home and when he was at the museum, but had no luck. So he

left a message on Lyle’s voicemail saying he wanted an update on the project. Lyle was sort of

put off by this, feeling the he was being “checked up on.” So, he left a message on Jim’s

voicemail saying that things were coming along fine, thinking that would satisfy Jim. But it didn’t

satisfy Jim. Jim knew that no material had been purchased and few volunteer hours had been

expended on the project. After playing phone tag a few more times, an unplanned meeting

between the two occurred. Their paths crossed in the museum parking lot. Jim demanded to

know what was happening with the project. Lyle persisted in his “things are coming along fine”

approach but Jim would have none of that and accused Lyle of being liar. He told Lyle he was

considering removing him from the project. Lyle said that would be fine and accused Jim of

being a “micromanager” and said he would be glad to leave the project.

Both men later reconsidered. Jim knew he couldn’t remove Lyle. No one else had Lyle’s

expertise and he couldn’t replace Lyle easily. Lyle really liked the volunteer work and he knew

he would find it difficult to find other volunteer work that he enjoyed. Both apologized, but an

undercurrent of tension continued. They would never again have the cordial relationship they

once had.