Feb/Mar Diversity Dilemma: Working Together in Planning a Professional Conference Communication: My Way or the Highway Luis Hernandez is a Guatemalan who came to the United States to enroll in a Ph.D. program. After graduating, he was offered a job at a university in the Midwest. Harmony and respect are key values for Luis and a proverb that illustrates his core beliefs is "La ropa sucia se laba en casa," which in English translates to "Dirty laundry is washed at home." His conference co-chair is Elaine Golden who was born in New York and is a professor at a university in New England. Elaine prides herself on her efficiency and time consciousness, and her favorite proverb is, "The early bird gets the worm." Luis and Elaine thought they had an understanding about how to work together. Turn around and response time were never specified in days or hours. A 24-hour response time was simply assumed by Elaine, and Luis, a more contemplative person, wanted to think things out longer and respond after he felt like he had considered options, consequences and had a solid answer. In the absence of getting a prompt response from Luis to a query she sent out, Elaine sent an email to him and copied the entire team stating that Luis is not responsive to her efforts. She is frustrated, cannot work that way and therefore, is considering withdrawing and leaving the responsibility entirely to Luis. The conference planning group was surprised, confused and in a lurch. Luis was not only surprised but also angry with Elaine for what he felt was shameful and embarrassing treatment. As a committee member, how might you interpret the behaviors of Luis and Elaine? And where do you see the committee going from here? Options: Option 1: Luis's anger is justifiable since Elaine embarrassed him in front of the entire committee online and never approached him in private. He does need to get beyond his anger, clarify roles and move forward for the good of the whole. Option 2: Elaine's position is justified since the co-chairs are equally responsible and the task required a quick turn around. She does have a job to do but effective leaders do not embarrass and alienate theirs co-chairs or team members. Option 3: Elaine needs to develop relationship agility and could be much more effective if she set clear expectations and time lines at the beginning, and also developed some reasonable flexibility. Option 4: Luis could decrease his anger and be more effective by having some empathy for Elaine and communicating clearly his need for incubation time and a clear way of resolving conflict. Option 5: The committee could get involved and function as an intermediary by trying to utilize the benefits of Luis's thoughtfulness and Elaine's action orientation, helping them to see that each contributes something valuable, different and essential. The committee members can also weigh in on the best way to get the task done utilizing everyone's strengths and desired ways of operating. Option 6: Other (Write-In) February/March RESULTS Top Choice: Option 5 - A little less than half of the respondents (40.3 percent or 29 respondents) thought that the committee could get involved and function as an intermediary by trying to utilize the benefits of Luis's thoughtfulness and Elaine's action orientation, helping them to see that each contributes something valuable, different and essential. Respondents also thought that the committee members should weigh in on the best way to get the task done utilizing everyone's strengths and desired ways of operating. Second Choice: Option 3 - About a third of respondents (31.9 percent or 23 respondents) felt that Elaine needed to develop relationship agility and could be much more effective if she set clear expectations and time lines at the beginning, and also developed some reasonable flexibility. Third Choice: Option 1 - A smaller number of respondents (9.7 percent or 7 respondents) thought that Luis's anger was justifiable since Elaine embarrassed him in front of the entire committee online and never approached him in private. He does need to get beyond his anger, however, and clarify roles and move forward for the good of the whole. Fourth Choice: Option 6 - Six respondents (8.3 percent) chose to write in their own answers. "While I can understand Elaine's frustration, she handled this matter inappropriately by not approaching Luis directly (and in person) and instead calling him out in front of the committee via email." "As in Option 3, Elaine needs to be more effective by 'setting clear expectations and time lines at the beginning.' Yet, as in Option 4, Luis needs to 'communicate clearly his need for incubation time' and simultaneously recognize when his 'incubation time' needs to be shortened. Elaine is completely out of line to catch Luis by surprise and in her malicious way to earn points with the committee by embarrassing Luis and making herself out to be a martyr without first privately speaking/e-mailing Luis on the issue." "I truly believe the proper resolution would be a combination of flexibility on both Elaine's and Luis's part - Luis needed to reply that he needed until X date to respond, and Elaine could have sent an expected completion date with her query." "I believe that options 3-5 should be applied together. Neither person was right or wrong but they did lack communication." "As functional members of the same committee, communication between Luis and Elaine should have been ample to begin with. Regardless of what has transpired between them, they need to consider the reasons they are involved with the conference to begin with. With their original intent in mind they may likely be able to come to a working solution." "Elaine should have stated that she wanted a twenty-four hour response time to Luis. How was Luis to know?" Fifth Choice: Option 2 - Five respondents (6.9 percent) thought that Elaine's position was justified since the co-chairs are equally responsible and the task required a quick turn around. She does have a job to do but effective leaders do not embarrass and alienate theirs co-chairs or team members. Sixth Choice: Option 4 -Three respondent (4.2 percent) thought that Luis could decrease his anger and be more effective by having some empathy for Elaine and communicating clearly his need for incubation time and a clear way of resolving conflict. A total of 72 people responded to the February/March Diversity Dilemma on DiversityCentral.com Take our newest dilemma. Read more: View the results of Sep/Oct 2008 Dilemma, So, which race are you? View the results of Jul/Aug 2008 Dilemma, Would You Switch Parties to Rise in the Ranks? View the results of May/Jun 2008 Dilemma, Hiring A Muslin Too Risky? View the results of Jan/Feb 2008 Dilemma, A Promotion — is it because of Affirmative Action? View the results of Sep/Oct 2007 Dilemma, Pierced nose? Wild clothes? What to do with a productive "punk?" View the results of Jul/Aug 2007 Dilemma, What would you do in the face of an unclear law? back to top

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