CASE STUDY
Ken worked in a research department for a year as a researcher and he was laid o as the enre department was closed due to recession. He decided to meet the CEO for a possible outplacement as the organizaon had several other departments to accommodate him. However the secretary of the CEO, Diana did not permit Ken to meet by saying that CEO was busy. Ken returned without meeng the CEO. He got beer employment opportunity elsewhere and joined. Ken, being a researcher, wrote an arcle for an internaonal journal while working in the research department. It was published aer 9 months and received complimentary copies from the publisher. Therefore, Ken wanted to share the s uccessful publicaon with his former CEO and went to meet him to gi the book as a complimentary copy. Below was the conversaon Ken had with the secretary of the CEO. Ken: I would appreciate if you could arrange an appointment with CEO. I want….. (Secretary interrupted) Secretary: Why did you come? We had already handed over your resume to Jim for outplacement. You may go now. Ken: I did not come for employment opportunity. Don’t assume that people people would come here for employment only. I have come to gi a complimentary copy where my arcle featured in internaonal journal. The CEO would be glad to share the success. Secretary: No, No, the CEO sees everything and knows everything as every arcle publicaon is known to him. Ken: It is not departmental journal. journal. It is a presgious journal globally and I want to inform him and gi the book. Secretary: “You will not get appointment. The CEO is busy” said rmly.
Ken: I ancipated that CEO would be busy and I have already wrien the details of my name over the complimentary copy. Secretary: Okay, leave it and go. (She said impolitely and started looking here and there) Ken handed over the complimentary copy to Secretary. Ken: Fine, please hand over to CEO. I am leaving the place. However, I will send an email to CEO about my coming physically to gi the book. (Secretary probably worried as the Ken
had already mentally prepared to send the email and keep the CEO informed. If Secretary had any intenon to skip handing over the complimentary copy, CEO will know as Ken would send mail.) Ken handed over the complimentary copy to Secretary and departed the oce. He sent an email to his ex-CEO about his coming and he could not meet as the laer was busy with his schedules. Aer 5 hours, the Secretary telephoned Ken and said rmly, “CEO told to return the book to you. You come and take the book back.” Ken replied, “It is the complimentary copy meant for the CEO only”. Secretary insisted to take back the book immediately. Ken told Secretary to courier and he was about to give his address. Secretary interrupted Ken’s conversaon and replied, “No we don’t send you through courier. You have to come and take.” Ken responded politely, “Right now, I am far away from that place. When I come to that area I would take back the book.” The very next day, Ken received email from his ex-CEO congratulang Ken for the publicaon and thanked for coming all the way to gi the book. Ken felt excited that his ex-CEO was pleased with publicaon. Acon to Take:
It requires lot of clarity and persuasion in communicang in such situaons.
People need to break their pre-conceived noons and mindset.
They should suspend their judgment that prevents from listening. They need to open up their minds and hearts for eecve listening and beer communicaon. In such situaon the Ken should have waited for someme ll the secretary gets freed mentally to communicate. Inner dialogue or inner conservaon that takes place among all human beings is oen the culprit of communicaon. The Secretary had lot of inner conversaon that prevented from listening. Sandwich feedback is essenal to communicate and correct and exit smoothly from such a situaon. The secretary had excessive ego that would have resulted into a conict had Ken not exited smoothly aer geng instrucons to leave the place.
Takeaways:
At mes, the people those who work with higher ocials try to create ri because of their excessive egoism which may arise out of their accessibility to higher ocials or miscommunicaon or the inability to empathize, understand and appreciate others. Somemes preconceived noons prevent communicaon. When the reality goes against their pre-conceived noons, people start defending and stop observing the cues of others’ body language because of high ego. There are barriers and lters that prevent smooth communicaon. Barriers are physical in nature such as external disturbances and distracons that prevent listening. Similarly lters are psychological in nature that take place within the mind such as biased thinking, inner conversaon which might become noise while listening, pre-conceived noons, being preoccupied with other acvies and excessive ego. In this context the Secretary had lters rather barriers that prevented eecve communicaon. At mes, the metal kele that stores and serves tea is hoer than the tea itself. A few secretaries think too much bigger than their bosses. They become too big for their shoes.
QUESTIONS:1. What were the communicaon challenges in the above case study?
Following are the main challenges: Diculty in understanding. Quality of communicaon is very low,. Secretary in not listening to what ken wants to say. 2. Was the Secretary right in avoiding the Ken who came all the way from long distance to gi the complimentary copy?
No. she was wrong as she should rst of all listen to what ken wants to say and then should help ken for taking the appointment from CEO as ken was very happy that his arcle was published and wanted to give complimentary copy to his ex-CEO. She should give him appointment to gi the copy. 3. Was it right for Secretary in insisng to come and take the complimentary copy back physically instead of couriering?
No, she was wrong as normally in every organizaon secretaries are not of this type they are not such rude in communicang with the people. She should listen to what ken wants to say
he was saying that he is far away from the company if she can courier the copy then take his address otherwise when he will be near to the company place he will take his copy but the secretary didn’t listen to him . 4. Was Secretary a good listener?
No, she was a bad listener, as she did not listen to a single thing what ken wants to say she just gave one answer to all the queson that he cannot meet CEO as he is busy. 5. Did Secretary empathize with Ken?
NO, she did not empathize with ken as she did not listen to ken what all he wants to say and for what he came. She did not allow ken to meet CEO both the mes for whatever reason he came. 6. What were the other challenges prevented smooth communicaon between Ken and Secretary?
Following were the some other challenges:
The inability to empathize, understand and appreciate others. Preconceived noons prevenng smooth communicaon. Psychological barriers like biased thinking, inner conversaon which might become noise while listening. Being pre-occupied with other acvies and excessive ego.
