A CRITICAL INCIDENT: WHO GETS THE JOB?*

Competitive organizations across the United States are trying to create more open climates where all people from diverse backgrounds can get along. Their ability to do so effectively depends largely on whom they bring into the workplace when promotional opportunities exist. The following incident will raise a number of important issues about this complex subject.

A medium-sized company in the southern part of Oregon is looking for a manager to oversee the accounting department, which consists of 20 bookkeepers, controllers, and accountants, and four secretaries. The current manager, who has been in the job for seven years, has just been promoted. While the company does have a history of promoting from within, it is also interested in creating a more diverse work environment. It is the hope of the company that a diverse work environment can spark new ideas, and, at the same time, attract new customers in different parts of the region and perhaps expand to California. To that end, it is willing to consider both outside and inside job applicants. Four candidates have shown interest in the job:

JOHN CONNORS is a skilled accountant. He has been with this company for six years. He is actively involved in community affairs, and graduated from a local university. He has cultivated excellent interpersonal relationships both in and out of the company. The only concern some people have is with his sexual orientation: he is gay. While his sexual orientation has not been an issue at work, he does bring his partner to company parties and picnics. However, some people in the department think his sexual orientation is immoral. If he does not get the promotion, he will consider leaving the company. After all, he has served the company loyally for the last six years.

JENNY CHU is a Chinese immigrant from Singapore and has been with the company for seven years. In fact, she and the outgoing manager started their employment at the same time. Jenny, a Certified Public Accountant, has outstanding accounting skills and is viewed as the real expert when work-related issues come up. While Jenny has her college degree from Singapore, she continues to update her accounting skills and acquire supervisory skills via continuing education courses at the local university. Her work relationships with others are congenial. However, some people believe she is a bit quiet and introverted.

EDURADO GARCIA is an outsider who heard about the job opening from some of his fellow Mexican friends at a recent church meeting. He ran his own successful business in Mexico City, sold it, and moved to the United States seven years ago. He has been a practicing accountant in several different companies. He has depth of experience and a good track record. He is extremely involved in his ethnic community and recently joined the Rotary Club to expand his social contacts. He is personable, approachable, and easygoing. He enjoys spending lots of time with his clients. However, some people are uncomfortable with his accent.

MALCOLM WASHINGTON, JR. is an African American new to the area and an outsider. He graduated with honors from Yale where he got his B.S. and his MBA is from Wharton (University of Pennsylvania). For the past year, he was a rising star at his former company, but left to relocate when his wife was offered a once-in-a-lifetime position in this city. Malcolm is bright and willing to learn. He looked like a shoo-in for the job until the vice-president took him and his wife out for dinner. In a town not used to interracial relationships and marriage, there was a lot of discomfort. Malcolm’s wife is Euro-American.

*Source: Adapted from Lee Gardenswartz and Anita Rowe. (1995). The Diversity Toolkit. Irwin Publishing.

RANKINGS: WHO GETS THE JOB?
(NOTE: See “Chapter 10 Class Handouts” for a printable form containing these questions.)

Instructions: Read the incident very carefully and rank order the job candidates based on who you think is the best candidate for the job and the company. Be clear about why you are ranking the individuals in your order of preference. After your individual ranking, please discuss your decision with a personnel committee in your class. In the group consensus ranking, everyone on the team has to agree on the top four candidates in order of preference. You have to come to a true consensus ranking system through active communication.

INDIVIDUAL RANKING:

I would vote for __________________ as the top candidate because:

My second choice is _______________________ because:

My third choice is _______________________ because:

My fourth choice is _______________________ because:

GROUP CONSENSUS RANKING:

We, as a team, would vote for ________________ as the top candidate because:

Our second choice is ________________________ because:

Our third choice is ________________________ because:

Our fourth choice is ________________________ because:

INTERACTIVE PROBES
(After the completion of the entire group discussion exercise, ask yourself and probe your classmates’ reactions)
(NOTE: See “Chapter 10 Class Handouts” for a printable form containing these questions.)

1. How would you characterize your own conflict styles in this group discussion exercise?

2. How would you characterize your group members’ conflict styles?

3. Did you or your team members apply some of the intercultural conflict skills mentioned in Chapter 10?

4. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 = not satisfied and 10 = extremely satisfied, how would you rank your satisfaction level with the team negotiation process? Why?

5. If you could rewind the group discussion, what would you do differently?

6. Can you relate to any of the characters in the “Who Gets the Job?” critical incident? Can you share your story with your teammates?

FURTHER APPLICATION PROBES
Let’s apply some concepts from Chapter 10 to the scenario.

1. What type of resource is the job promotion?
    a. Tangible
    b. Intangible
    c. Relational
    d. Identity

2. During your team negotiation process, if one team member says, “I’m willing to give up Edurado as my vote for first choice in exchange for letting him be our second choice.” This statement reflects what technique for negotiating conflict over scarce resources?
    a. Differentiation
    b. Expansion
    c. Compensation
    d. Content goals

4. If one of your team members said, “I don’t care that much, let’s go with your choices,” which of the five types of conflict styles was he or she using?
    a. Dominating
    b. Avoiding
    c. Obliging
    d. Compromising
    e. Integrating