You are the leader and co-ordinator of a cross functional team tasked with developing a plan for the diversification of your company into three other industries. John Bosco and Joan Bischoff, two members of the team from different divisions of the company, are holding back the progress of the team because of their intolerance and dislike of each other's ideas and personality. John Bosco (a male team member) wants the company to maintain its headquarters at the current location, whereas Joan Bischoff (a female team member) prefers moving the headquarters to another state. To help improve their professional relationship you met them individually and discovered that they share the same objective - to minimise the cost of the diversification. John wants the company to borrow about 20% of the cost and issue equity (shares) to fund the remaining 80%. By contrast, Joan wants the company to borrow about 22% and fund the remaining 78% with revenues from the sale of all inessential non-current assets.

After listening to John and Joan, you have concluded that the main cause of their unhealthy relationship is their insufficient knowledge and application of communication skills, especially, knowledge of the difference between relationship building and transactional styles of communication. You closed each meeting with the same advice on inter-gender communication to John and Joan and a commitment that you will not disclose what was discussed with the other person or anyone else.

PART A: What advice did you give Joan and John? Your answer must include clear explanations of transactional and relationship building skills, as applied to men and women. Provide one example each to illustrate your answer.