Name RISHABH JHAJHARIA

Question 1
Lisa felt disappointed during her first few weeks at Houseworld. What, according to you,
caused friction between her and her team members: Linton and Scoville? Mention at least
2 instances.

The instances which caused friction between Benton and her team members were :-

• Instance 1-
Linton's comment that she disliked Harvard MBAs on Benton's very first day of work. Linton
also informed Benton that she was busy and short on time, and that she had requested her to
familiarise herself with the area so that they could begin working on the goals in a couple of
weeks. Benton was disappointed to see her boss treat her in such an indifferent manner.

• Instance 2-
Scoville also mentioned that he does not like Harvard MBAs when he took Lisa out for lunch.
He also possesses a condescending attitude and was acting like an overbearing big brother. He
also assigned copying activities which also, according to me, created friction.

• Instance 3-
When Benton approached Linton, she saw that Linton and Scoville were working together in
close proximity to do a brand review. Benton felt like an intruder because they both appeared
to be intimate with one another. Linton was busy on the fourth day when Benton went to ask a
question, so she hastily hid something and told her to come back later. Benton also felt like an
intruder as a result of this.

Question 2

Scoville displayed erratic behaviour while interacting with Lisa throughout the case.

Question 2A: Analyse Scoville’s personality using the OCEAN framework. What,
according to you, would he score in each of the OCEAN traits? Cite examples or instances
to support your answer.

Note: You can mention either a 'high' or a 'low' for each of the 5 traits. Answer based on the
information given in the case study.

Question 2B: Using the results of the OCEAN framework analysis, suggest two ways in
which Lisa can improve her relationship with Scoville.
Write your answer for Part A here.

Trait Level: High/Low Example supporting the answer

Openness to High Scoville had moved from operations department

Experience to the marketing stating that he was open to
change and gain experience. This is where we
can say the reason behind the openness to
experience as High.

Conscientiousness Low The copying instance with Lisa Benton where

Scoville was hysterically making changes at the
last moment is evidence for his low
conscientiousness.

Extraversion Low Scoville faced challenges in collaborating with

others, so he requested Benton to seek
approvals from different departments.
Additionally, other staff members have
conveyed to Benton that Scoville is not easy to
work with.

Agreeableness Low Scoville demonstrated a critical approach,

evident from his lack of enthusiasm towards
Lisa's MBA during their initial meeting.
Furthermore, he appeared irritated by the
support received by Lisa from other employees
afterward.
 Neuroticism High Scoville initially displayed kindness by
answering all of Lisa's questions and addressing
her concerns. However, he exhibited outbursts
of anger and frustration during a disagreement
with Lisa regarding assumptions on Pure and
Fresh's pricing strategy. This emotional
instability is that he scored high on
Neuroticism.

Write your answer for Part B here.

• Given that Scoville does not get along with others, Lisa can use her connections in
other departments to do the work for him a lot faster. This will boost their connection
because he will have greater coordination with her and work as a team.

• Lisa can utilise her organisational abilities to support Scoville in improving his
project planning, which will enhance his level of conscientiousness and increase his
reliability in the eyes of the management.
Question 3

Linton failed to recognise Lisa’s core strengths during Lisa’s performance evaluation. This
left Lisa disappointed.

Question 3A: Which area of the Johari window does this situation represent?

Question 3B: What can Lisa do to reduce this area and improve her relationship with
Linton? Give at least two relevant examples.

Write your answer for Part A here.

Linton failing to recognize Lisa’s strengths is the hidden area of the Johari window

Write your answer for Part B here.

Lisa should bring out her real self and show Linton her real strengths as she did at Right
Away.

• Lisa should overcome her fear of directly communicating with Linton, as there have
been instances where she hesitated due to feeling intrusive. It is important for her to be
open, honest, and vocal about any concerns or opinions she may have on significant
matters.
For example, in meetings, Lisa should confidently express her thoughts and
opinions without being concerned about Linton's relationship with Scoville. She
should feel empowered to seek some help from Linton whenever she requires it.

• Given that both Benton and Linton were the first female managers of different stores,
Benton may possibly build an emotional connection with Linton. Both are driven to
succeed and put in a lot of effort. She will find it simpler to express her sentiments to
Linton as a result of this. This will make it easier for her to talk to Linton and share her
feelings.
Question 4

In Lisa's performance review, Linton described Lisa as "unassertive" and "lacking in

initiative and confidence". What could Linton have done differently while giving the
feedback? Suggest two improvements.

Linton could have employed the 'I like, I wish, I wonder' technique, for instance, instead of
outright criticising someone for being passive or lacking initiative and confidence, she could
have said: I like your quick learning curve and ability to get along with others. I wish you
could have spoken up more. In team meetings, I wonder if you could take the initiative and
voice your ideas in front of the group rather than keeping them to yourself.

Using the 3-2-1 approach, Linton could have provided constructive criticism and remarked, "I
like that you are approachable, get along with people, and do your job well without
considering something inferior or superior." In team meetings, I think you could be more
confident and assertive in taking the lead. Your fast learning curve was the aspect I
appreciated the most.

She could have provided some instances of how she could have handled certain situations
better.
Question 5

Suggest three engagement tactics that could have helped Lisa in feeling more motivated to
work in Houseworld.

The three engagement tactics that could have helped Lisa in being more motivated are :-

• Linton could have encouraged Lisa to speak up without any fear of criticism or being
judged. The conversation on her first day regarding MBA made Lisa uneasy from
speaking up fearing of being criticised.
• Lisa could have advanced further inside the organisation if Linton had given her clear
career road map. This would have inspired Lisa to work harder and put up more effort.
• Every time Lisa had a conversation with Linton, Linton always seemed disinterested.
She should have engaged her in conversations and developed a sense of affiliation with
her and made her felt connected.
Question 6

Lisa can improve her relationship with Linton and Scoville using certain power tactics.

Based on this, answer the following questions.

Note: Answer based on your learnings from the Organisational Behaviour module.

Question 6A: Mention 2 soft tactics that Lisa can use. Suggest relevant ways in which these
can be implemented.
Question 6B: Mention 2 hard tactics that Lisa can use. Suggest relevant ways in which

these can be implemented.

Write your answer for Part A here.

Both Linton and Scoville were demonstrating their silent Authority over Lisa. The

soft tactics that can show Lisa’s personal powers are

1. Persuasion- Lisa should have put more effort into her relationships with Linton and
Scoville. She could have built a personal connection with them and exhibited her
abilities if she had known their specific drivers and what motivated them.
2. Exchange- She can also exchange favours with Scoville and Linton. For instance, Lisa
can use her connections to other departments to fulfil any work, especially one that is
critical for Linton and Scoville. Given the benefits exchanged, Linton and Scoville will
come to trust Lisa and eventually embrace her point of view, making this a win-win
situation for Lisa.
Write your answer for Part B here.

The hard tactics that can show Lisa’s personal powers are

1. Assertiveness- In her interactions with Scoville and Linton, Lisa could be more
assertive. When Linton said she didn't like MBAs and when Scoville portrayed his
abhorrent management style, Lisa should have responded with confidence. By doing
this Lisa could have minimized negative experiences
2. Coalition Formation- Lisa had friends from other departments who had felt Linton
was a terrible trainer and manager and had backed her up when they heard about
Scoville’s shouting. Lisa even received aid from a different assistant product manager
regarding Linton's management. Lisa could have formed a coalition with the support of
her peer network to present Scoville and Linton with her ideas.
Question 7

Do you think there has been a breach of ethics by Lisa's coworkers? Justify your
answer by giving reasons and mentioning instances from the case study.

Yes, there was a breach of ethics by Lisa’s coworkers. To support this, I would like to view
the case study through the Rights Approach and Fairness/Justice Approach.

• The rights approach states Lisa’s dignity should have been respected by Scoville.
When he disagreed with Lisa's assumptions regarding the pricing analysis of Pure and
Fresh, he humiliated her in front of the entire staff and threw temper tantrums. Linton
ignored the concerns raised by numerous people about Scoville's conduct instead of
acting upon them, which was unethical.
• According to the fairness/justice approach, Lisa should not have been subjected to
any form of prejudice or favouritism. Lisa experienced discrimination for her
education, particularly for a degree in MBA from the Harvard Business School, from
both Linton and Scoville. When Linton chose Scoville over Lisa to work on the
projects, there was favouritism there, which was sufficient to sustain the rumours that
they were having an affair.
Question 8

Should Lisa quit her job at Houseworld? Support your answer with at least 3 relevant
arguments.

Note: 2 marks will be awarded for each relevant argument in favour of the decision.

Lisa should not quit her job and should continue to work in Houseworld.

• Scoville repeatedly embarrassed Lisa, but when they bonded over a few drinks, she
noticed that he was also a nice and decent man who seemed open to feedback. Lisa
noticed his annoyance at not getting promoted and understood what set him off; this
would help them maintain their relationship in the future.
• It could be difficult to find a workplace relationship like the one Lisa had
developed with her coworkers from different departments.
• Jack Vernon, the group product manager, commended Lisa and their chat chats about
Harvard, it was evident that he respected Lisa. He was aware that she was performing
simple tasks, and by keeping her from doing secretarial work, he was protecting her
interests.
• Lisa frequently heard from her peers that Pure and Fresh was only a temporary project,
which was standard in the marketing division. Lisa could just wait a few more months
before being transferred to a different assignment. Even if Lisa goes on another project
or moves to a different account, she would still continue to receive support and
training from her leaders.

With the above points, Lisa should continue her job in Houseworld.