Diversity: Mediating Morality Case

The main issue addressing in the Manager’s Hot Seat video is diversity in the workplace, specifically dealing with homosexuality. After Daniel Simmons, Vaccine Manager, requested the same-sex domestic partner benefits information during a meeting his coworker Robert Franklin, Natural Resources Manager, displayed discomfort and refused to continue to work with Daniel after finding out Daniel is gay (Manager’s Hot Seat n. d. ).

The point of this video is the meeting held between Daniel and Robert with their Senior Supervisor Syl Tang regarding the diversity conflict. They have both already met one on one with Syl, but now they must meet face to face to discuss why Robert is refusing to continue to work with Daniel on a project. During the video the viewer is asked questions about what Syl’s objective is for the meeting, what Daniel’s perception is during the meeting, Syl’s course of action when the meeting ‘heats’ up, what the main issue is, and empowering Daniel (Manager’s Hot Seat n. d. ). Here were my own responses compared to the Manager’s responses to the questions;Objective is to avoid conflict.

Objective is to complete the project. Daniel’s perception is accurate.

Daniels perception is clouded. Syl should change the topic to avoid conflict.

Syl should change the topic back to completing the project. The main issue is upholding morals in the company.

Main issue is completing the project efficiently. Syl proposes this to empower Daniel.

Syl proposes this to empower Daniel. Syl’s main goal is to get the project that Daniel and Robert were working on completed. I personally believe that Syl went into this meeting the wrong way. Yes, it’s important that the project is completed, but she needed to focus on resolving this conflict. Not for just this diversity issue but for future ones. Her actions set an example of the other possible homosexual diversity conflicts that may occur within the organization in the future. For most of the meeting she went on how others where to be given more responsibility in the project, so that Robert wouldn’t have to work directly with Daniel. This is discrimination because Robert’s decision to not work with Daniel is personal and based on factors that aren’t job related (Kreitner p. 36). Daniel states “But you are letting it affect it. You’re letting his personal opinion affect a working relationship. ” (Manager’s Hot Seat n. d. ). This is where Syl sees his perception as clouded.

According to Goleman’s five qualities on emotional intelligence he isn’t managing his emotions well as one should (Allam, 2011, p. 73). Both of their perceptions are clouded. Daniel is focused on defending himself from being discriminated in the workplace, Robert is sticking up for his personal morals and beliefs about homosexuality without consideration of how they may affect his work relationship with Daniel, and Syl is mainly focused on whether the project gets completed. At the end of the meeting, Syl then offers Daniel to come up with an alternative, thus empowering him. Sly comments “OK, then I’m going to back to my original suggestion Daniel. I’m going to ask you to come up with an alternative. I have given Bob the opportunity to come up with an alternative, and this is his alternative solution. You don’t like it, so I’m going to give you the same opportunity. ” (Manager’s Hot Seat n. d. ). She uses one of the promoting effective management of diversity actions which states “empower employees to challenge discriminatory behaviors”. (Manager’s Hot Seat n. d. ).

After the meeting, Syl states that this is a tough situation and a balancing act between completing the project and figuring out how to deal with personal issues (Manager’s Hot Seat n. d. ). Yes, it is a tough situation and she had to make tough decisions in her position. My only issue with how she handled this situation is how she seemed mainly focused on the short term goal of completing the project and not the long term goals. Including how to resolve this conflict, how this conflict will continue to put a strain on not only Daniel’s and Robert’s working relationship but how it will affect those around them, especially since they hold manager positions, as well, how will she handle future diversity conflicts dealing with homosexuality going forward, etc. Syl needs to use affirmative action, focusing her efforts on achieving equality within the organization (Kreitner p. 36).