Tactful Conflict Management

A conflict communication case study to consider:

“You are a department manager in a mid-sized company that provides technology support services.  You have ten employees who are required to maintain a high level of technical expertise and deliver excellent customer service.  One of your employees, who has been with the company for two years, is performing at a substandard level and you have received numerous complaints from customers and coworkers.  In addition, this employee has displayed confrontational behavior which has created a hostile environment.  You must now meet with this employee and deliver an ultimatum regarding the need for immediate improvement or dismissal.”

          In the case of dealing with an employee that is not only performing at a substandard level, but who is behaving in a hostile manner as well, it is important to exercise authority in a way that is both tactful and respectful. 

            In this particular situation, I would begin by analyzing whether the lackluster performance was a consistent issue, or if it was markedly different than the consistent performance.  If it were a new issue, I would ask the employee if there were any changed circumstances that may be affecting his or her work performance.  While it would not be an excuse for poor performance, it may become clear that there are ways management could assist the employee in order to help improve their work performance during a difficult time.  If it appeared that the issue was a consistent one, I would let the employee know that their work presence is appreciated, yet there are certain standards which employees in his or her position are required to maintain, and recent review indicates that these standards are not being met.  It is important to first clarify the purpose of the meeting, as well as to understand all aspects of the problem, including those from the other side (Hooper, 2011, creativecoaching.com). 

            It is natural to assume that the employee would at this point ask which areas appeared to be substandard.  I would reply that over the past two years, performance has been consistently poor.  I would then discuss the complaints made by both customers and coworkers, making sure to provide adequate detail and examples.  I would then allow the employee a chance to discuss their position on his or her performance.  An important part of conflict resolution is allowing both parties to have adequate time to state their positions.  This is a method of collaboration, as both sides are able to work towards a better understanding of the issue, while maintaining openness in their relationship (Culbertson, 2010, snu.edu).

            Hopefully, this would lead to a discussion of ways in which the employee could better their performance.  On the downside, the employee could disagree with the statements made and could proceed in an argumentative way.  In this case, I would then lead into the discussion of the appearance of confrontation in the employee’s actions, and the hostile environment that has arisen as an aftereffect.  I would firmly state that this type of behavior is not only unnecessary, but is also not welcomed at the company.  I would then give the employee a chance to explain his or her behavior, as well as his or her reasons for becoming confrontational with coworkers.  I would explain that mediation is available to work through any problems with coworkers, therefore confronting another employee in a way that makes him or her uncomfortable is unacceptable.

            After all points have been made and both parties have been given ample opportunity to discuss any additional problems, I would inform the employee that he or she will be given a probationary period of three months, an adequate timeframe in which to make a marked improvement in both performance and behavior.  I would set clear guidelines for both in a way that is easily understood and agreed upon by both parties.  I would let the employee know that failure to meet these guidelines by the end of the probationary period will result in immediate termination.  I would then have the employee, as well as myself and an HR witness, sign a document outlining the discussion, points of improvement, and the statement of possible termination.  In dealing with any situation of professional nature, especially in which certain guidelines are expected to be followed, it is important to document discussions such as these which could possibly affect the future of employment.  It is irresponsible to leave any room for negotiation or any loophole which could then be taken upon in a litigious matter if the employee is in fact terminated. 

References

Culbertson, Howard (2010). Conflict Management Strategies and Styles. http://home.snu.edu/~HCULBERT/conflict.htm. Accessed January 24th, 2011.

Hooper, Helen (2011). Handling Conflict in the Workplace.             http://creativecoaching.com.au/articles/CCS_Handling_Conflict.pdf. Accessed January 24th, 2011.

The World of Modern Media Technologies

Let’s take a look at one of the most modern forms of media technology, social networking websites.  Below, you will find a summary of four of the most widely used networks, complete with some personal experiences I have had with each of the sites as relates to business.

Facebook

            Facebook has clearly made a name for itself as one of the most influential additions to technology in more recent years.  Initially nothing more than a simple networking site, Facebook has developed over the years to include platforms for advertising, campaigning, public relations, art, gaming, and virtually every other sector imaginable within media communications. 

            The advantages for social communication are obvious.  It is possible to search for someone using various criteria, enabling you to connect with people from other parts of the world.  This is an asset for companies who are attempting to advertise their product or service at an international level, as they are able to pinpoint an audience based on age group, nationality, and location.  There is also the option to search based on keywords.  These words are those that appear in status posts, “About Me” sections, and within the scope of pages that the person has chosen to “like” or favorite.  This allows for an even more in-depth advertising experience, as companies are also able to sort through potential clients by their interests and activities, which would increase the likelihood that the potential client would utilize services advertised by the company.  With respect to virtually all other types of advertising, whether technology-related or not, there is no more efficient way to hand-pick an effective audience. 

            Since companies have the ability to create multiple branding opportunities for themselves on Facebook, the options for self-advertising are limitless.  For instance, as the marketing/advertising assistant for a Realtor, I created a fan page which links directly to the agent’s main website, as well as to another site that provides to-the-minute listings and information.  This allows for a multiple-platform advertising effort, as clients are able to stumble across information on a variety of websites and be directed to the same place.  This has increased traffic to all three of these sites, and has turned into several high-profit listing opportunities for the agent.  When used correctly, Facebook can be an extremely effective marketing tool.

Twitter

            Twitter is a more simplistic, pared-down version of Facebook.  The basic concept is the same, to have the ability to send out quick messages, to connect with potential clients, and to build an online audience.  Yet, while Facebook allows for a supreme amount of page customization, as well as chat and various different types of page functions, Twitter remains steadfast in its primary purpose: to allow businesses to send out “tweets,” which are the equivalents of news beats for the technological world.  This provides the opportunity to send out brief, timely information in 140 characters or less. 

            Twitter has become extremely popularized by celebrities who use the site as a way to promote themselves.  For example, Ashton Kutcher proposed a contest with CNN to see who could reach 1 million “followers” first.  Kutcher stated that if he won, he would “ding-dong ditch” CNN bigwig Ted Turner’s house (Sutter, 2009, cnn.com).  Kutcher won the contest, proving what a strong voice just one person can have, even in comparison to a huge network such as CNN. 

            Using Twitter, it is possible to gain a large following of potential clients, as well as to quickly brief these followers, as well as the public, of timely updates regarding business.  Since there is a text message notification feature available through Twitter, followers are able to subscribe to receive a text every time one of their subscribed accounts posts a tweet.  This potentially means more business for the company, and definitely means a higher visibility factor for the business.  

LinkedIn

            LinkedIn is the social networking solution for business communication.  This site takes features of other social networking sites, such as Facebook, and couples them with features of professional networking sites such as Careerbuilder or Monster.  Using the same concepts as other career sites, LinkedIn provides an outlet to post a personal resume, as well as detailed professional accomplishments and designations.  The social networking aspect allows for connections with colleagues and others in similar fields of work, increasing networking possibilities.  The combination of these two aspects provides a platform where career professionals can search for others in a purely professional sense, connect with potential business references, and create an online record of work history and experience. 

            The effectiveness of LinkedIn is very much dependent upon the method in which it is used, as well as the expectations of usage.  At the basic, free level, professionals are able to post their information, a picture, and attempt to connect with other users.  Unless a person continually checks back, and continues to actively seek out new connections, there is not much else that can be done at this level.  However, assuming a person is actively checking the site, updating their page with every new professional development, and continues to attempt connections with colleagues, there is the possibility to expand his or her professional network. 

            Additionally, it is important to not have inflated expectations of the effects of the site.  While it is a platform in which to make new and to improve existing professional connections, true communication must take place outside of the site.  Since there are no chat or conferencing functions available, the only way to communicate with contacts is to send an email message within the site.  The person is then notified via email, and may or may not choose to actually view, let alone respond, to the message.  LinkedIn is a good resource for finding potential new contacts, but requires outside effort in order to be truly effective.

Craigslist

            Craigslist can be likened to an enhanced newspaper for the virtual world.  The possibilities are quite endless with this platform, and there is quite literally something for everyone on this site.  Whether a person is looking for a new job, trying to sell a piece of furniture, or attempting to find someone they met at the grocery store, Craigslist is the platform to use. 

            Craigslist is very different from other networking sites, as the main emphasis is not upon just communicating, but communicating with a purpose.  There are no functions for direct chat, nor are there ways to find information on specific users.  Craigslist works by allowing people to post information into various categories, dependent on their purpose.  For each category, there is a set format for entering information that is specific to the category.  For instance, in the real estate section, users are able to post price, location, cross streets, and several pictures of the property.  People looking for real estate are able to view listings, and if interested, may reply via email to either a specific email address or an anonymous address, whichever is specified by the poster for privacy reasons.  This allows a level of comfort and safety, especially considering that some of the categories offer very specific information, such as location. 

            Because Craigslist is not as heavily monitored as other networking sites, there is a greater chance for scams and manipulation.  I have personally experienced a wide variety of scams via Craigslist, though I was aware enough to double-check information before providing anything personal.  This mainly occurred while searching for a job, as many posts for opportunities are not legitimate and are actually searching for personal information. It is important to verify the identity of the people you are communicating with in order to maintain your privacy and safety.  This can also occur after posting something, as scammers then have an email address to send things to.  One method for determining what is a scam or not is to request within the post that all replies use a certain phrase as the subject, so the poster knows it is a real person.  While this does not eliminate scams, it helps to maintain control.  Craigslist is effective for searching for specific items or information, or to advertise services or products.

Welcome to my blog...grab yourself a drink and take a seat!

Hello, great to meet you!

While this is not my first blogging experience, it is the first time I'm creating a blog knowing that other people will actually be looking at it!  With my strong background in marketing and advertising, I have become extremely familiar with blogs.  As relates to business, I have blogged for companies as well as individuals trying to market their services.  I have also done some freelance work blogging for some random websites for a short time. 

In my personal use, I took to a blog to rant about everything from annoyance over people lumping Christmas and my birthday (December 20th) together into a "Happy Birthday/Christmas!" present, to random, weird thoughts that would cross my mind (does Starbuck's being open so late increase the amount of accidents at night due to caffeine overload?), to my constant, and sometimes irrational, fears as an expectant mother.  Blogs are a way to say what you need to say in an environment with little to no pressure.  

Feel free to check back in as I pass along my thoughts on communication.  Based on my previous blogging experience, as well as my tendency to be extremely blunt, there's no telling what kinds of things you may read!