Martin Brass Company Case Study: Harry Smith's Leadership Dilemma

This case study analyzes the conflict between Harry Smith, the supervisor of the maintenance department, and Jim Jones, a foreman at the Martin Brass Company. Harry perceives Jim as unreliable and prioritizing his role as school board chairman over his responsibilities as a foreman, leading to a conflict of priorities and communication issues. The analysis explores their differing viewpoints, explaining their behaviors as a conflict of perceptions and goals. The preferred outcome for Harry is to achieve desired performance from Jim. The assignment proposes a claiming value strategy, including setting goals and negotiation, to resolve the conflict and improve Jim's performance. The case study references Bencsik et al. (2016) and Gilin Oore et al. (2015) to support the analysis.

Project management - case study

1. In the provided case of Harry Smith, it can be noticed that Harry views himself as a
hardworking professional, who is always willing to take new challenges in his professional field
of working. From the opinion of Harry, it can be stated that Jim Jones gives his job of school
board’s chairman to be more significant than his role as a foremen.
Harry views Jim as an individual who is not dependable in nature. On the other hand, Jim does
not have much respect towards Harry and professionally, he can be seen to have the opinion that
he is not much answerable to Harry for his actions.
2. The reason of such perceptions on the part of both the individuals in this is case due to
difference of priorities and lack of effective communication regarding these differences between
them. As a result, of such differences between them and lack of its effective communication has
resulted in such perceptions (Bencsik, Horváth-Csikós, and Juhász, 2016).
Behaviour of these two men can be explained as conflict of perceptions, conflicting goals and
emotions wherein, Jim can be seen to be prioritising his role as chairman of school board and
Harry can be prioritising his present job of keeping the shop running with minimized down time.
Thus, such different prioritization has resulted in their conflict.
3. As Harry Smith, the preferred outcome in this scenario would be to get desired performance
from Jim and justify his role as foreman, with minimal dependence on me.
4. In order to resolve the issue, claiming value strategies would be effective, which would help
in achieving the best possible outcome from Jim and Harry as well. This is a competitive
approach which would require Harry to forcefully influence Jim and assert his power.
The action plan that would be taken for achieving the preferred outcome is preparing and setting
goals. It would require negotiation through three main positions in bargaining zone that includes
initial, resistance and target (Gilin Oore, Leiter, and LeBlanc, 2015). Under this approach, it is
also required for Harry to research what Jim wants from the negotiation.
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References
Bencsik, A., Horváth-Csikós, G. and Juhász, T., 2016. Y and Z Generations at
Workplaces. Journal of Competitiveness, 8(3).
Gilin Oore, D., Leiter, M.P. and LeBlanc, D.E., 2015. Individual and organizational factors
promoting successful responses to workplace conflict. Canadian Psychology/psychologie
canadienne, 56(3), p.301.
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