short case describes a situation that can often be found with student teams

This short case describes a situation that can often be found with student teams. Students on this team
have different personalities, interests, skills, and goals. Your role is to be a coach for the team, helping
them find a way to become more effective. As you read this case, think about these questions:
• What is the underlying cause of the conflict?
• What should your role be as a third party helping this team?
• What steps would you take next to manage the conflict?
• What are the basic options, and for each option what are the risks and potential benefits?
• Plan, in detail, who you would talk to, what you would say to them or ask of them,
and in what order. You may be called on to enact your plan in class!

Team #6 has been working as a team for about four weeks. They have had some successes, but also
some terrible times. John and Mary just can not get their act together. Rob and Ted have tried to
mediate, but it has gotten worst. As this point, it seems that alliances are forming, and Mary may be
the odd‐one out. She is angry and frustrated. You have talked privately with each of the members
of the team. Here is what they have told you.
MARY: “I have just given up on this group. Every time we have an assignment, people just listen to
John. I can’t figure out why. He may be smart, and he has some experience, but he is just incapable
of getting things organized. Plus, he does not seem to really care about this class. I am the one who
does all the first drafts. I am the one who calls for meetings. I am the one who checks with the
professor about how we should do the assignment. Then, despite the fact that has done squat, John
just blows off my work and says we need to start new – usually just 24 hours before it is due! And
Rob and Ted fall for it. I don’t see why I should do anything for this team any more. Screw them.”
JOHN: “Mary is so far out of touch it is not real. She just wants to push. I’ve been out in the work
world for 10 years. What matters is not just the classes, but attending lots of info sessions with
companies, and networking with people. Mary wants to be a kid in school. She’s only 26 years old,
and does not have much experience with business – she just worked in publishing! I’ve worked on
Wall Street. Get real! In real life, you do the work you have to do, when you have to do it. Not
weeks ahead of time. I don’t need some young inexperienced student telling me how to organize
my work. I’ve done it longer than her! And, just because she is gunning for top honors does not
mean she can impose that cost on me. Plus, when she does analyze a problem, it is totally
academic. I’m the one with practical experience.”
MARY: “John says he’s the one with experience!? Yea, but he can’t write worth a damn. He thinks
that just because he worked in some famous companies, he knows the answer. He just wants