Develop three statements that respond to the speakers in the following vignettes by (a) showing empathy, (b) seeking clarification, and (c) providing nonevaluative feedback.

VIGNETTE #1

Your coworker stops by your cubicle, her voice and body language show stress, frustration, and even some fear. You know she has been working hard and has a strong need to get her work done on time and done well. You are trying to concentrate on some work and have had a number of interruptions already. She abruptly interrupts you and says, “This project is turning out to be a mess. Why can't the other three people on my team quit fighting with each other?”

VIGNETTE #2

One of your subordinates is working on an important project. He is an engineer who has good technical skills and knowledge and was selected for the project team for that reason. He stops by your office and appears to be quite agitated: His voice is loud and strained, and his face has a look of bewilderment. He says, “I'm supposed to be working with four other people from four other departments on this new project, but they never listen to my ideas and seem to hardly know I'm at the meeting!”

VIGNETTE #3

Your subordinate comes into your office in a state of agitation, asking if she can talk to you. She is polite and sits down. She seems calm and does not have an angry look on her face. However, she says, “It seems like you consistently make up lousy schedules; you are unfair and unrealistic in the kinds of assignments you give certain people, me included. Everyone else is so intimidated they don't complain, but I think you need to know that this isn't right, and it's got to change.”

#EXAMPLE

A colleague stops by your desk and says, “I am tired of the lack of leadership around here. The boss is so wishy-washy, he can't get tough with some of the slackers around here. They just keep milking the company, living off the rest of us. Why doesn't management do something about these guys? And you are always so supportive of the boss; he's not as good as you make him out to be.”

• Empathy Statement: I can hear you are frustrated with the lack of leadership around here.
• Seeking Clarification: What is it that you feel management should do?
• Nonevaluative Feedback: It sounds like the lack of management has you upset. And you want them to motivate the other workers. Is this correct?