Human Relations in Organizations: Applications and Skill Building 8th Edition by Robert Lussier

Exercise 14

Below are five conflict situations. Write the XYZ statement you would use to resolve the conflict. Remember the goal of resolving the conflict while maintaining human relations.
1. A coworker has asked you to go out after work for the second time. The first time you gave an excuse for not being able to go, but you really don't want to go out with this person. What would you say?
X _____________________________________________________
Y _____________________________________________________
Z _____________________________________________________
2. A coworker keeps coming to your work area to socialize. You have been talking as long as the person wants to. But it is affecting getting your work done, and you have had to stay late. What would you say?
X _____________________________________________________
Y _____________________________________________________
Z _____________________________________________________
3. A coworker has been taking it easy and not doing his share of the work on your twoperson assignment. You have had to do more than your share, and you don't want it to continue. What would you say?
X _____________________________________________________
Y _____________________________________________________
Z _____________________________________________________
4. A coworker has continued to interrupt another coworker friend of yours as she speaks. It is upsetting you, and you have decided to talk to the interrupter privately about it. What would you say?
X _____________________________________________________
Y _____________________________________________________
Z _____________________________________________________
5. A coworker is playing music loud for the third time. You don't like the music, and it affects your ability to concentrate. You haven't said anything, but you plan to now. What would you say?
X _____________________________________________________
Y _____________________________________________________
Z _____________________________________________________
Objective: To improve your ability to initiate conflict resolution with positive statements.
AACSB: The primary AACSB learning standard skills developed through this exercise are analytic skills and communication abilities.
Preparation: You should have completed the preparation (the five situations) for this exercise.
Select one option:
1. The instructor goes over possible answers to the five situations.
2. The instructor asks students for their XYZ statements to the situations, followed by giving possible answers.
3. Break into groups of two or three, and together come up with an XYZ statement, followed by the instructor's going over the recommended answers. Discuss the possible consequences of each alternative response in the situation. Would it help or hurt human relations and performance? How?
Conclusion: The instructor leads a class discussion and ?or makes concluding remarks.
Application: What have I learned from this experience? How will I use this knowledge in the future?
Sharing: Volunteers give their answers to the application section.