Organizational Behavior: Human Behavior at Work 14th Edition by John Newstrom

Exercise 7

Unit Electronics Company
Unit Electronics Company produces electronic process controls for industry. The high reliability required for these controls, each designed for a specific customer, requires the production department to work closely with the test section of the quality-control department, which determines whether the product meets customer specifications. For one important order it was necessary for a production representative to work in the quality-control department with the chief test engineer. Charles Able, the manager of production, assigned William Parcel, one of his capable assistants, to this job. Parcel had worked with Able for years and was well acquainted with this equipment order, since he had coordinated its production for Able. The test engineer was named Dale Short.
A week after Parcel began working with Short, he reported to Able that he was having difficulty with Short and that Short seemed to resent his presence in the test section. Able agreed that a problem situation might be developing and said he would visit the test section and attempt to talk with Short.
When Able visited the test section, Short immediately started complaining about Parcel. He said that Parcel undermined Short's authority by giving testers instructions that were at variance with Short's. He claimed that Parcel even contradicted him in front of the testers. After a number of other complaints, he asked Able to remove Parcel from the test section and send a substitute. Short even threatened that if Able did not remove Parcel, Short would go over his head to have Parcel removed. Able listened and asked questions, but made no judgments or promises.
Parcel apparently saw Able talking to Short, so before Able left the test section, Parcel approached him with the comment, "Well, I guess Short has been telling you a tale of woe about me."
Able acknowledged that Short had complained, but he omitted mentioning Short's threat to have Parcel transferred.
"That's Short, all right," said Parcel. "He can't stand to have anyone try to correct him, but things were so fouled up I felt I had to do something."
Able admitted the situation was sensitive, but he pointed out that Short was in charge of the test section. He ended the discussion with the comment, "Let's play it cool and not push." Able, however, was concerned about the situation, and during the next few days he gave much thought to it. Since Short felt the way he did, Able finally decided to remove Parcel from the test section and send another employee. As he was reaching for the telephone to call Parcel in the test section, Short walked into the office smiling.
"I want to thank you, Charlie," he said. "I don't know what you said to Parcel the other day, but it sure changed his attitude. We are getting along just fine now. Funny thing, when I spoke to you the other day, I had the impression you weren't going to do anything for me, but I guess I had you figured wrong."
Able gulped a few times and made a few vague remarks. Then, Short left in high spirits. Able was quite curious about the whole situation; so later in the day when he happened to meet Parcel alone, he commented casually, "Well, Bill, how are things with Short?"
"I have been meaning to tell you, Charlie," Parcel said. "Short has been much easier to work with the past few days. He actually takes some of my advice-even asks for it. I guess that talk you had with him really did some good."
Analyze the events in this case in terms of counseling and communication. Did counseling occur? What type of counseling? When and by whom?