TEAM WORK SKILLS: Dynamics of Group Communication.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. The relevance of good relationship within groups of difference and diversity.

2. Understanding communication as a social construction and not a mere transmission model

3. The importance of asking questions when necessary.

4. The benefits of listening to others during conflicts.

MAIN CHARACTERS

· Mr Ridwan Ishola (The CEO of Soft and Prog limited)

· Engr Bruce Holes (The Technical team lead).

Its a software company locating in Texas, US, called Soft and Prog limited. This company comprises approximately 500 staffs and experts including the senior, junior, technical and professional roles. The CEO Ridwan Ishola has founded the company for more than 10 years.

Soft and Prog comprises of black and white staffs from various countries including USA, Canada, Britain, Africa while others are Black Americans. The people grew up from different background, belief, exposure, language, experience, environment and religion.

Fortunately, Blacks dominated the major key positions and expertise roles. Blacks were mostly the heart of the company, and made great things happen.

Due to rage from the whites and unsatisfactory decisions, there were lots of atrocities and racial act mostly among the lower employees. The blacks were not satisfied, still no one has ever complained all of these acts to the superior bodies in the company, and rather several issues arising were sort out on low key and internally. Overtime these nauseating act kept increasing and went more rampant that the company began to notice it as it was reducing the company overall efficiency.

To stop this menace, the CEO of the company, instructed the secretary to send bulk SMS only to all the white staffs informing them that, a meeting would be held the following weekend, that was Saturday on Zoom. No black was invited to the meeting.

The meeting held with the CEO narrating his personal observations in the organization and encouraged all the whites to stop such nasty act and rather focus on the goals of the organization. He also tagged punishment to any act of racism. Hence the meeting concluded.

The following week on Monday, the blacks were observant of this meeting but did not know the reason and outcome of the meeting; neither did the CEO give them any feedback. The blacks were full of anger and indignation believing that racism is now a second nature and normal act in the company.

To combat this racial menace, the blacks teamed up to organize unofficial meeting outside the company’s environment emphasizing on the challenges and inequalities going on in the company. They concluded since many of them held the key experts positions, if any racial meeting, act or statement ever occur again in the organization, they would again team up to leave the company which in turn can lead to downfall of the organization. The meeting ended on this conclusion.

A month after, the company needed to develop some sophisticated software for a telecommunication vendor, Nokia. This project was good news and the same time very demanding. Talents, experts, professionals and even amateurs were all needed to participate actively in the project. This led to the initiation of a general meeting. This time every employee was involved.

Mr Ridwan Ishola appreciated the efforts of every employee towards the attainment of success in the organization. He mentioned some names while he gave them exceptional accolade for their significant roles and impact. He said, without them, him the CEO can't do the job alone. He then followed by explaining the new software project in the company, after which he seek for opinion and strategies towards approaching the new task at hand. Lots of opinions, suggestions and advice were introduced and deliberated along the meeting. The major experts in Soft and Prog limited were blacks, while most whites took the lesser key positions and have more population than the blacks, with these in mind. The company's technical lead, Engineer Bruce Holes suggested and said “since there would be ten teams with twenty people in each team, I suggest each team should comprise only three blacks and seventeen whites”.

As if that was the statement they've been waiting. Immediately, most blacks in the meeting flared up with severe annoyance and unfriendly grievances emphasizing on Engineer Bruce's statement.

A senior staff among the blacks said out of annoyance; “you whites have been doing this for a very long time, enough is enough, and we can't continue to condone this menace. That was how you people organized a racial meeting the other day". Another senior black staff stood up and said; “ leave them, I am not surprised, that's how white people do". Most junior black staffs too flared up and made lots of disapproving statements. Despite, the CEO, Mr Ridwan tried to calm the meeting and relief the tension, it all led to no avail.

Consecutive days, Mr Ridwan called most of the blacks to plead with them and ask the reasons for their grievances probably he would sort it out. Rather, the reply was "it’s too late for any explanation now, we are fed up of this company, enough is enough, we have condone it enough and we can't bear it any longer".

Days after, individually, almost all the blacks including the senior staffs submitted resignation letter to the company's secretary.

The company had to pay huge remuneration to most of the senior staffs according to the rules and regulations, as illustrated in the company’s code of conduct. Many experts and talents left and in turn Soft and Prog lost for that year that it could barely breakthrough in the following year.

A big controversy indeed.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. From the case study, do you think there was need for people with difference and diversity in the group? Why?

2. Was it appropriate for the company's secretary sending message to the whites only, neglecting the blacks? Yes or No and what could she have done instead?

3. Should the blacks held a secret meeting? What approach should they have used instead?

4. Was Engineer Bruce statement wrong? Yes or No, and how better could he have said it? 

KEY TERMS:

1. Transmission mode of communication: This is the common mode of communication which involves the mere sending of message from the sender to the receiver through a communication channel that is prone to noise and feedback is received.

Application: Engineer Bruce’s statement that led to eruption followed this approach.

2. Communication as a mode of social construction: this is the best form of communication that relates meaning, feelings, understanding and interpretation.

Application: Mr Bruce was supposed to consider the interpretation of his statement since he knows the employees are from various race. Instead he should have added more information to his statement.

3. Interaction design: this refers to the norms, rules, arrangement and protocols in which a group followed to enhance desired communication.

Application: Organizing meeting outside the working hour only for some set of people.

4. Socialization: Simply means becoming part of a group and a person’s way of life.

Application: Most of the blacks grew up in another destination and find it quite difficult to become accepted in the group.

5. Confirming evidence trap: the trap of seeking evidence that conforms to only what you want instead of searching for other hidden evidence which might consume time but productive.

Application: The blacks find it difficult to confirm any evidence, buttressing their points.

6. Framing trap: this refers to how statements are framed, the tone and language used. Either perceived as threat or opportunity.

Application: The way Engineer Bruce framed his statement appeared as a threat to the blacks.

7. Advocacy: this refers to magnifying the deficiencies of others during decision making or conflict.

Application: The black flare up with Bruce's statement instead of focusing of the organizational goals and target.

8. Multiple alternatives: the act of considering others opinion by giving them space to speak and contribute during decision making.

Application: The CEO, Mr Ridwan Ishola gave rooms for others to speak during the last meeting.

9. Perception of fairness: this refers to members accepting to conclusion when perceived fairness in the decision making process.

Application: Because the blacks were left out during the first meeting involving only the whites, no fairness was perceived and this led to eruption.

10. Conference call: this refers to remote audio or video calls or meeting using technology devices. 

COMPOSED By Muslim,Ridwan Ishola: Dedicated to the MOOC course by University of Colorado, Boulder