5.4 Case Study: Runners Relay Ltd.
It is time to practice our new influencing skills. Let’s utilize script writing and role-playing to resolve a workplace conflict at Runners Relay.
The Scenario: A Focus on Influence
The Company:
Runners Relay Ltd.The People:
Anna Suarez (She/Her): Human Resources Manager
Leonard Swartz (He/Him): Operations Manager
Alejandro Rodrigez (He/Him): Afternoon Shift Supervisor
The Scenario:
Leonard has noticed Alejandro failing to communicate important information to his afternoon shift team members. Leonard expects Alejandro to share safety information, production numbers and quality statistics daily. When Leonard talks to the afternoon shift team members, he can tell they don’t know their numbers or goals.
Leonard has also noticed that Alejandro constantly has heated discussions with the afternoon shift employees when they don’t reach their daily production numbers, experience another safety incident, or fail an internal quality audit.
The heated discussions impact morale, and Leonard has noticed that several afternoon shift workers call in sick regularly. This conflict can’t continue.
Employee Observations:
“We don’t need to be treated this way by our supervisor. I thought he was here to guide us, not blame us.”
“I don’t think anyone in the company cares about the employees on the afternoon shift. If you don’t work on the day shift, you are forgotten. I used to love working here.”
The First Conversation:
Leonard has just finished a meeting with Alejandro to discuss the new running shoe they will be producing in the next quarter. Leonard wanted to speak with Anna in HR before the meeting, but she has been in meetings whenever he stops by her office. Leonard decides to talk to Alejandro as there is no time like the present.Leonard: Before you return to the production area, Alejandro, I want to discuss the afternoon shift.
Alejandro: The afternoon shift? We are doing great on the afternoon shift.
Leonard: From what I see and hear, I would disagree. I overhear heated discussions with your staff, and these conflicts impact everyone. Haven’t you noticed that your afternoon shift employees call in sick more often?
Alejandro: It’s that time of year when people struggle with the colds and the flu.
Leonard: I don’t think everyone has a cold, Alejandro. In addition, I read your safety statistics, and you have a serious safety issue. What’s your plan to reduce the number of back injuries on the afternoon shift?
Alejandro: You don’t need to worry about the back injuries. I told the staff to slow down and watch what they were doing. They need to be more careful.
Leonard: And you think that will be enough to prevent more injuries?
Alejandro: Yes, I am confident.
Leonard: Well, that doesn’t solve the quality issues your team is experiencing. What’s your plans for that?
Alejandro: Once again, I’m on top of quality. I have asked the quality department to post our quality statistics on the bulletin board so everyone can read the results. The production associates need to know their quality numbers to improve.
Leonard: I don’t see how reading a report will solve that issue, but if you say so, that doesn’t address your failure to reach production numbers on every shift. We can’t fill the customer orders, and I am starting to receive calls from angry customers. What’s your plan?
Alejandro: I told the afternoon shift I would cancel pizza Fridays until they turned their production numbers around. They love food, so that should solve that problem.
Leonard: Well, I hope these initiatives work. If I don’t see significant results in the next two weeks, I may have to find someone else to lead the afternoon shift. And I don’t want to hear any more heated discussions with your team members!
Alejandro: Don’t worry, boss, I won’t disappoint you.
The Exercise:
Identify – any concerns with the way Leonard spoke with Sam. Did Leonard influence Alejandro to impact the outcome?
Discuss – Leonard’s approach and highlight how Leonard could improve the conversation with Alejandro by positively influencing the conversation.
Create – a list of influential statements that might assist Leonard in his conversation with Alejandro.
Next Steps
You will assume the role of Anna, the Human Resources professional at Runners Relay. You have been extremely busy implementing a new attendance policy, and you haven’t had a chance to connect with Leonard. You have heard that Leonard met with Alejandro before you had an opportunity to coach him on the importance of using influence to attain the results Leonard is looking for.
Coaching Notes:
During your meeting with Leonard, you will remind him of the following:
- Your goal is to positively influence Alejandro to attain the results you are looking for.
- Be sure to ask Alejandro if you can offer help based on your experience.
- It is essential to make helpful suggestions.
- For each suggestion, share your reasoning and past successes using the new approach.
- Be sure to highlight how these suggestions might make Alejandro’s job easier.
- Allow Alejandro to adapt the suggestion in a manner that will work for him and his team.
- Ensure you have a verbal agreement before you end the meeting.
- Follow up with Alejandro in one week to review and, if needed, modify the plan.
- Be sure to thank Alejandro and the afternoon team as they meet their safety, production and quality goals.
The Recommended Conversation:
Following his coaching session with Anna, Leonard meets with Alejandro again to address his behaviour and production issues.
Alejandro: You wanted to see me, Leonard? I just read your e-mail.
Leonard: Yes, thank you for stopping by. I e-mailed you to catch up with you to talk about the afternoon shift.
Alejandro: Okay, is there something specific you wanted to talk about?
Leonard: Well, I want to start with the heated conversations you have been having with your team members.
Alejandro: Oh, I didn’t realize you had overheard that.
Leonard: Yes, I was surprised, as you have always been a great people leader. Alejandro, what is going on?
Alejandro: I don’t know. We just can’t seem to get ourselves organized on the afternoon shift. We are making silly mistakes, and it feels like we are falling apart. I get so angry that I start yelling at people. I wouldn’t say I like it.
Leonard: Alejandro, I can see that you are struggling with your interactions with your staff and production numbers. Can I offer suggestions based on some ideas that have worked well for me?
Alejandro: I can’t tell you how much I would appreciate that, Leonard. I am struggling.
Leonard: Let’s start with your interactions with your team members. I have found that when I need to speak with an employee about a complex topic or an issue at work, it is best to have the conversation privately. Have you thought about moving your conversations to your office?
Alejandro: Hmm. That makes sense, so everyone isn’t overhearing our conversations. Maybe if I sat down with my employees instead of standing in the production area, we could talk rather than yell at one another.
Leonard: I think that would be a great idea. Now, what about your quality statistics? Why are you failing your internal quality audits?
Alejandro: Honestly, I don’t think our team members understand the quality policy and the metrics against which we are measured.
Leonard: I was in a similar situation at my last company. The production team members didn’t understand the quality metrics. Have you considered inviting a member of the quality department to work on the afternoon shift for one week to retrain your team, measure quality metrics, and provide real-time feedback?
Alejandro: I didn’t even know that was an option. I thought the quality team only worked on the day shift. That would be amazing, as I don’t really have the time to retrain everyone. If we could receive real-time feedback, we could troubleshoot our quality issues on the spot.
Leonard: That is a great plan. You can oversee the corrections needed to get back on track. I am still concerned about the number of back issues on the afternoon shift.
Alejandro: I think everyone is trying so hard to fix our production issues they are rushing to fill the orders and ignoring safe work practices.
Leonard: It’s common for employees to skip safety to save time. One time, I had a joint health and safety committee member review the workplace and make recommendations to address an issue with cuts to the hands. Is this something that might work for your afternoon shift, along with the concerns about ongoing back injuries?
Alejandro: I feel that our worktables are too low, and our boxes are too heavy for one person to lift. If I have a member of the safety committee come out for a safety review, perhaps they could do an ergonomic assessment and recommend some changes to our workspace and our processes.
Leonard: I like the idea of an ergonomic assessment. Lastly, how can we get our production numbers back on track to fill every customer order?
Alejandro: I think we need to hire one more production associate on the afternoon shift to keep up.
Leonard: I have been faced with similar staffing challenges in the past. Have you considered talking to Anna in the HR department to work together on a plan to address absenteeism while bringing in a temporary employee? At the same time, does your team catch up with the backorders?
Alejandro: A temporary hire would allow us to complete outstanding training and fill our backorders. However, if we can address our absenteeism issues, we won’t need temporary staffing for long.
Leonard: It sounds like you have a great plan to address the concerns on the afternoon shift. Please let me know if I can help you with implementation. I will catch up with you at the end of the week to review your progress. Does that sound fair?
Alejandro: More than fair. Thanks for talking this through with me, Leonard. There is hope for the afternoon shift to get on track.
The Exercise:
