REFLECTION-STORYTELLING

Challenge & Selection   As a Human Resource (HR) Manager I handle all employee issues and ensure that the work  environment is conducive for highest possible human productivity. Before I was promoted to this  position, the Office Administrator used to handle this task despite her not being well conversant with  Hr and its procedures. A lot of our employees within the company felt unattended, ignored and greatly  demotivated. In addition, managers and their supervisors had major challenges dealing and handling  discipline matters within their departments.  As soon as I started, I realized that I needed to relate closely with my fellow colleagues in order to solve  their issues and build more cohesion within departments and the company. I choose to use the  Storytelling tool described in Module 2.

Storytelling allowed me to interact and engage with employees. It also helped to soften ground so  employees spoke more freely.

Application  To begin my storytelling sessions I usually start by asking a few frame questions so as to establish  relevant background information and avoid being biased. From past experience there are always two  sides of a story and permitting parties to express themselves freely often sheds light on the matter at  hand. Sometimes the employee may feel defensive and opt not to say anything on the matter and that  is mostly when I apply this tool.   In one particular incident, a sales executive (Cristiane) had come to work wearing thigh high ripped  jeans. Her good friend David, whom they had closely worked with at the same position and had just  currently been promoted to lead the sales team, saw her dressed in this manner he was disappointed  and immediately gave her a warning letter and suspended her for a week as required in the company  policy.

Cristiane could not understand why David was loading his power over her and he was her friend. She  had then resulted in engaged David openly in a heated exchange of words and for several days later  she kept coming to the office every day dressed as she pleased. David now her supervisor felt  undermined and had walked into my office that said morning to deliver his resignation letter. He had  realized that the other sales executives in his team now had lost respect for him and were rebelling  due to Cristiane’s behavior.

I opted to invite Cristiane for morning breakfast at a nearby restaurant. The hotel was well light and  relaxed and none of the company staff went there as it was considered quite expensive. My choice for  this location was to settle the matter without other colleagues knowing about my intervention in it.

After a few minutes of trying to converse and engage with Cristiane I realized she was quite defensive  and intimidated by me and she said no more than three sentences. As a last measure to combat the  resistance, I opted to tell her about my first days, when I had just been promoted to my current  position.

Cristiane and I were not friends, and I had only interacted with her when I had hired her into the  company. I began by explaining that I too had started out at the organization as a sales executive for a  month and had later been promoted to my current position. I then went on to explain to her some of  the difficulties and resistance I had faced from the other sales executives and supervisors as I tried to  establish necessary policies, which I felt were necessary for the benefit for all stakeholders.

I told her of how lonely and challenging it was to lead people whom you had once shared moments  with and you could no longer do so because fellow colleagues may experience feelings of favoritism  one way or another. I also told her of the challenge of joining the senior position and the level of  competition and apprehension experienced within the job group and the high expectations required of  the job.

As Sally listened and understood about what it entailed to lead, she became empathetic of David and  could now clearly understand and relate to his fury.

She was very remorseful of her reaction during the incident and offered to write an apology letter to  him. In addition, she felt the need to apology to all other colleagues who had witnessed her gross  misconduct and this she would do in writing and pin it up on the bulletin board for all. Cristiane also  consented to complying with the suspension-without pay, as a resolve for her bad behavior.

Insight   The storytelling tool enabled me bypass the resistance experienced from Cristiane. It helped override  any intimidation Cristiane might have felt while interacting with me and build a bond as I shared my  personal experience and opened up to her as a friend, rather than an acquaintance and her senior at  work.  The storytelling tool also initiated Cristiane to stop viewing the incident from only one perspective  (Herself) but rather to consider both perspective(hers and David) which she had not considered  earlier i.e. what David was currently going through, David’s work expectations, David’s work  relationships etc.

In addition, the tool sparked Cristiane to personally institute a solution she felt was just and fair and  would provide a lasting remedy for the current problem. She (Cristiane) offered to forgo her pay for the  three days she had undermined David’s authority and to place a public apology for her gross  misconduct.

Approach  This tool is very efficient and effective when dealing with human beings. It assists to connect with  others at a personal level and I have gained get benefits from applying it. I feel it was my best option in  that situation and I now use it more frequently and I believe I am getting better at it.


REFLECTION - STORYTELLING Challenge & Selection As a Human Resource ( HR ) Manager I handle all employee issues and ensure that the work environment is conducive for highest possible human productivity . Before I was promoted to this position , the Office Administrator used to handle this task despite her not being well conversant with Hr and its procedures . A lot of our employees within the company felt unattended , ignored and greatly demotivated . In addition , managers and their supervisors had major challenges dealing and handling discipline matters within their departments . As soon as I started , I realized that I needed to relate closely with my fellow colleagues in order to solve their issues and build more cohesion within departments and the company . I choose to use the Storytelling tool described in Module 2 . Storytelling allowed me to interact and engage with employees . It also helped to soften ground so employees spoke more freely . Application To begin my storytelling sessions I usually start by asking a few frame questions so as to establish relevant background information and avoid being biased . From past experience there are always two sides of a story and permitting parties to express themselves freely often sheds light on the matter at hand . Sometimes the employee may feel defensive and opt not to say anything on the matter and that is mostly when I apply this tool . In one particular incident , a sales executive ( Cristiane ) had come to work wearing thigh high ripped jeans . Her good friend David , whom they had closely worked with at the same position and had just currently been promoted to lead the sales team , saw her dressed in this manner he was disappointed and immediately gave her a warning letter and suspended her for a week as required in the company policy . Cristiane could not understand why David was loading his power over her and he was her friend . She had then resulted in engaged David openly in a heated exchange of words and for several days later she kept coming to the office every day dressed as she pleased . David now her supervisor felt undermined and had walked into my office that said morning to deliver his resignation letter . He had realized that the other sales executives in his team now had lost respect for him and were rebelling due to Cristiane ’s behavior . I opted to invite Cristiane for morning breakfast at a nearby restaurant . The hotel was well light and relaxed and none of the company staff went there as it was considered quite expensive . My choice for this location was to settle the matter without other colleagues knowing about my intervention in it . After a few minutes of trying to converse and engage with Cristiane I realized she was quite defensive and intimidated by me and she said no more than three sentences . As a last measure to combat the resistance , I opted to tell her about my first days , when I had just been promoted to my current position . Cristiane and I were not friends , and I had only interacted with her when I had hired her into the company . I began by explaining that I too had started out at the organization as a sales executive for a month and had later been promoted to my current position . I then went on to explain to her some of the difficulties and resistance I had faced from the other sales executives and supervisors as I tried to establish necessary policies , which I felt were necessary for the benefit for all stakeholders . I told her of how lonely and challenging it was to lead people whom you had once shared moments with and you could no longer do so because fellow colleagues may experience feelings of favoritism one way or another . I also told her of the challenge of joining the senior position and the level of competition and apprehension experienced within the job group and the high expectations required of the job . As Sally listened and understood about what it entailed to lead , she became empathetic of David and could now clearly understand and relate to his fury . She was very remorseful of her reaction during the incident and offered to write an apology letter to him . In addition , she felt the need to apology to all other colleagues who had witnessed her gross misconduct and this she would do in writing and pin it up on the bulletin board for all . Cristiane also consented to complying with the suspension - without pay , as a resolve for her bad behavior . Insight The storytelling tool enabled me bypass the resistance experienced from Cristiane . It helped override any intimidation Cristiane might have felt while interacting with me and build a bond as I shared my personal experience and opened up to her as a friend , rather than an acquaintance and her senior at work . The storytelling tool also initiated Cristiane to stop viewing the incident from only one perspective ( Herself ) but rather to consider both perspective(hers and David ) which she had not considered earlier i.e. what David was currently going through , David ’s work expectations , David ’s work relationships etc . In addition , the tool sparked Cristiane to personally institute a solution she felt was just and fair and would provide a lasting remedy for the current problem . She ( Cristiane ) offered to forgo her pay for the three days she had undermined David ’s authority and to place a public apology for her gross misconduct . Approach This tool is very efficient and effective when dealing with human beings . It assists to connect with others at a personal level and I have gained get benefits from applying it . I feel it was my best option in that situation and I now use it more frequently and I believe I am getting better at it .