You are the office manager of a large firm that prides itself on its highquality customer service. Lately, complaints have surfaced which reveal that an increasing number of incoming calls are being misrouted or dropped. Yesterday, when passing the main reception area, you noticed the receptionist fiddling with his hearing aid. In the process, a call came in and would have gone unanswered if not for your intervention. This particular receptionist had earned an unsatisfactory review three months earlier for tardiness. Your inclination is to urge this employee – who has been with the firm for 20 years – to retire, or to fire him if retirement is rejected. However, you know the individual is well liked and seen as a fixture in the company.

a Suggest several hypotheses that might account for dropped or misrouted incoming calls.

b Using the ‘double movement of reflective thought’, show how you would test these hypotheses.

From concept to practice