Running head: ANALYTICAL PAPER 1

Analytical Paper

Sandra Atchison

Brandman University
ANALYTICAL PAPER 2

Introduction

In the past I was involved in a conflict with a co-worker. I was her immediate supervisor,

but every time I would try to ask her to do something, she would get upset and go to my

supervisor and tell her that I was being rude and mean. I would then be called in to the office

where I would try to explain what was happening, but the supervisor would never see the way

the employee acted with me, so she would always take the other girl’s side. This went on several

times a week for approximately 3 weeks. The last time there was a problem my supervisor

wasn’t there, and the Store Manager handled the situation. When she asked the girl what the

problem was and was told that I was being rude telling her what to do, the Store Manager asked

her how she would like me to ask her to do things. She replied, “I don’t want her to tell me what

to do at all”. The Store Manager recognized that the problem wasn’t with me, but with the

employee. She was moved out of my department to another department.

ANALYTICAL PAPER 3

Analysis

The “mind’s eye” concept could have helped my initial reaction by trying to understand

the minds-eye of the girl. `By trying to understand her motivation, I would have possibly

understood that she just did not want to be given instruction by anyone, that it was not just me.

This might have allowed me to communicate to my supervisor what the problem was, and the

situation might have been resolved much more quickly.

We did not experience the bonding cycle. The “bonding cycle enables us to engage with

the people and the world around us. Bonding is also a powerful process that lays the foundation

for a successful outcome to any dispute or confrontation” (Kohlrieser & Forehand, 2006).

If we had experienced the bonding cycle the resolution would have been much easier and

quicker to obtain.

My state of mind was defensive. I needed to focus on “Work on me first” and keep my

emotions under control and out of the situation. The dialogue between us was very

confrontational, and therefore resulted in an even bigger problem. This made the dialogue

between us very ineffective.

The negotiation between us never happened, because she would walk away and go to my

supervisor before we had any chance to resolve the issue between ourselves. I believe she had a

hidden agenda of getting me to react negatively, which would then bring the focus onto me

instead of her.

The safe environment was created when the Store Manager had us together with her in

her office.
ANALYTICAL PAPER 4

Conclusion

Through this class, I have learned that I need to work on me first, making sure to keep my

emotions out of the situation. I also need to try harder to see through the other person’s “minds-

eye”, which would help me to better understand what is causing them to do what they are doing.

I also need to work on understanding of the other person’s true feelings, so that I can better

understand which direction should be taken in the negotiation process.

ANALYTICAL PAPER 5

References

Kohlrieser, G., & Forehand, J. W. (2006). Hostage at the table how leaders can overcome

conflict, influence others, and raise performance. San Francisco (Calif.): Jossey-Bass.