Reflection

During my internship at Ysquare hotel, I was posted to work at the executive lounge. During one of my shift as an intern, I was assigned to be on morning shift with the executive lounge manager, Mary.
As I was previously trained by John who was another full timer, he specifically told me to always keep the spray and cloth in the cabinet as placing it on the bar counter does not look professional. In addition, I personally also felt that it was not appropriate as drinks were made at the same bar counter during the dinner buffet.

However, I noticed that Mary would leave it at the bar counter. Despite disagreeing with what she is doing, as she was my manager, I kept quiet and continue doing what I feel is right. When Mary saw what I was doing, she approached me to question me on my actions and told me to leave it at the bar counter for convenience. Being an intern, I would not want to oppose my manager thus I just did as she told me to.

After Mary ended her shift, Jane came to take over. Upon seeing the spray at the bar counter, Jane approached me to ask me who taught me to leave the spray at the bar counter. Due to differing instruction, I told her that the instruction was told to me by Mary.


Being faced with such a situation, I was left in a greater dilemma on whose instructions should I follow, as both had their own reasons.  I started wondering if I should have approached both full-times to clarify the situation as it seems like they do not communicate with one another on how things should be done at the executive lounge despite being co-workers. 

Comments

  1. Dear Yun Yue,

    Thank you for your clear and concise post.
    I truly empathise with you and indeed, it is a horrible situation to be in when different instructions are given to interns like us.

    Perhaps you could have bought the issue up to the manager, Mary instead of John, the full-timer so that she can establish a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Executive Lounge.

    However, using the right choice of words is important as you may unknowingly create some unintentional politics in the workplace.

    Alternatively, you could also adapt to the different working style by keeping the trays in the cabinet before John reaches the Executive Lounge to take over the shift.

    I hope the recommendations would be helpful enough and should you require any clarification, please do not hesitate to ask me.

    Warm regards,
    Yu Shan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Yu Shan,

      Thank you for your recommendations! I agree with you on your suggestions and i would bear that in mind the next time I face such situations. Once again, Thank you :)

      With Regards,
      Yun Yue

      Delete
  2. Thank you, Yun Yue, for this clear and concise description of a workplace interpersonal communication issue. I 'm glad to see your peers’ responses have begun to come in.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Brad,

      Thank you for your comments! Yes their responses are starting to come in and I am looking forward to reading their recommendations on how I should handle such issues when i face them again in the future.

      With Regards,
      Yun Yue

      Delete
  3. Dear Yun Yue,

    Thanks for this very fine post and sharing it to all of us! It is certainly a very common communication issue within any workplace and I personally dislike it whenever it happens too.

    Different work procedures by different managers/superiors can always happen and I usually try to either bring the issue up to my immediate or the one that holds a higher rank. This would hopefully help to resolve the issue in the long run. However, like what Yushan mentioned, the way it is being brought up is usually tricky! My recommendation for approaching this topic would be to come from an inquisitive stand-point and let them know the impact of the issue (your opinion on it being unprofessional + the lack of a standard operating procedure). As a manager, I would think she should be receptive of it and understand where you are coming from.

    I hope my feedback and recommendation would aid you in the future! Do let me know if there is any need for a clarification alright?

    All the best and take care!! :)

    Best regards,
    Ian

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    Replies
    1. Dear Ian,

      Thank you for your recommendations! I agree with you that this is very common communication issue. Although bringing up the issue is tricky and I have to be careful with my choice of words, however I agree with your recommendations.

      I would bear that in mind and try to approach my manager on the issue tactfully in the future when faced with such a situation and hope that my manager would understand where I am coming from.

      Once again, thank you :)

      With Regards,
      Yun Yue

      Delete
  4. Dear Yun Yue,

    Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Indeed, it is a common experience that we face at work which we can relate to commonly.

    Like Ian, I also feel that you could have brought up this issue with your manager and be honest about the difference in instructions given by different staff. This would also help to level the different training standards and improve everything on the whole.

    See you around in school!

    Regards
    Gerald

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Yun Yue,

    Our deepest empathy to you. In face of this dilemma, we would like to offer you our deepest solution. We strongly in the firm's SOP, as that is the most credible and concrete proof to cove your ass. Therefore, no matter what your colleagues say, they cannot change the company's procedures.

    Having said that, it would be wise too, to confront both managers to explore their opinions. It is important to bring them together and meet a common agreement.

    Thank you.
    Farhan
    Wei Xian
    Wayne Enterprises.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Farhan and Wei Xian,

      Thank you for taking the time to read my intercommunication conflict and providing me with soultions.

      If i were to be faced with such a situation in the future, i would first apply Thomes-Kilmann’s Rational conflict resolution framework - compromise. This would be used when Jane approached me to ask who taught me to leave the spray at the bar counter. Instead of telling Jane it was Mary was the one who gave me that instruction, i would compromise and just do as she says to prevent unnecessary conflict between them.

      In addition, I also agree with you on your suggestion. After compromising with Jane, i would collaborate with Mary, my manager to solve my interpersonal conflict.

      I would approach her to raise the issue of unstandardize instructions given at the workplace and collaborate with her to work out a solution.

      Once again, thank you for your time! :)

      With Regards,
      Yun Yue

      Delete
  6. Thanks, Yun Yue, for doing the final step in the analysis of your conflict. I'm happy you could come to a more well-informed approach to this problem situation.

    Best wishes! Brad

    ReplyDelete

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