What unifies employees at Whole Foods Market is the sense of mission and shared values. Team members develop a sense of purpose, and the team monitors performance, making sure everyone contributes. In addition, unlike many retailers, Whole Foods schedules most of its employees for full-time work; this helps them learn about their jobs, build stronger relationships, and develop a greater commitment to the organization. A challenge to cohesiveness, however, is one of the very values the company espouses: diversity. Whole Foods stresses its commitment to hiring employees from many different backgrounds. Compared with other supermarkets, its dress code offers wide latitude for personal style. To counteract misunderstandings that can occur when people come from different backgrounds and express themselves differently, the company expects team members to communicate frequently and respectfully and to show appreciation for what others contribute. CEO John Mackey sees a role for competition as well as collaboration. The company encourages teams to compete with one another to be best at what they do. For example, the produce teams might strive to have the biggest sales increase in their region or among all the company's stores. The glory of being the best Whole Foods produce team is a compelling motivator, with or without a bonus. As team members collaborate in trying to outdo other teams, they build the sense of identity Mackey sees in what he considers the company's strongest teams. "The best part of my job is developing my team members and helping them on the path of success. . . . Nothing makes me happier than seeing them start to move up the ranks and get more and more excited about Whole Foods and our products," says Leah McFadden, a team leader in the cheese department in Los Altos, California. Beyond this kind of desirable competition among teams, conflicts do occur within teams. In one incident that recently made national news, two team members at a store in Albuquerque were suspended (with pay) after they became upset during a team meeting. At the meeting, discussion turned to the men's use of Spanish at work. The two men interpreted statements by the team leader to mean they were forbidden from speaking Spanish while on the job, and they became angry. Management saw their anger as "rude and disrespectful both in an office and in the store in front of customers," so the two were suspended. Through official statements, Whole Foods said it uses English as its "default" language, especially for safety matters, but does not forbid the speaking of other languages. It added that its leadership team would soon review the company's language policy.

1.How should Whole Foods manage the conflict in its Albuquerque store? What should it do to minimize similar conflicts in the future?