Angela is a systems analyst for the Fair Grain Baking and Confectionery Company. Angela was thrilled to be assigned to a new project that will develop a new production and operations control system for the company’s four production facilities. Angela was brought on the project team just as the information gathering process was beginning. Her first assignment was to conduct several interviews with key personnel from the production areas of two of the facilities.

Larry is a production supervisor at the Lakeland plant. Larry has been in his position for sixteen years. He is a short, burly man with a no-nonsense attitude. Angela is a little intimidated by him before she even begins the interview but she vows not to let her nervousness show. Larry arrives at the conference room for the interview right on time. He sits opposite from Angela, leans back in his chair, and crosses his arms across his chest. As Angela works through the interview agenda, she finds that his every answer is brief, gruff, and to the point. Try as she may, Angela cannot get him to loosen up or elaborate on any of his answers. After only ten minutes, Angela has exhausted her list of questions and cannot think of anything else to say. Awkwardly, she thanks Larry for his time and concludes the interview.

The next morning, Angela is scheduled to meet with Mary, a production crew chief. Mary has been with the company for eight years, and worked her way up from assistant line operator to her present crew chief position. As Mary enters the conference room (ten minutes early), Angela notices that she seems quite nervous and has trouble making eye contact. Mary perches on the edge of her chair throughout the interview. Inwardly, Angela smiles with relief. Mary will be nowhere near as difficult to handle as Larry was. As the interview begins, Mary anxiously answers every question. Gradually, Angela notices that Mary is straining to give her whatever answer she appears to be asking for. If Angela asks about a potential problem, Mary assures her there is a problem. If Angela asks for a process description, Mary provides a detailed description until Angela seems satisfied. It slowly dawns on Angela that, in a sincere effort to please, Mary will tell her whatever Mary thinks she wants to hear.

Angela has encountered two different but equally problematic behaviors in these two interviews. Larry has responded to her questions with the barest minimum of answers. Mary has attempted to anticipate what Angela wants to hear, and strove to please with her every answer. In both cases, Angela has far less information than she needs to fulfill her objectives. How should she have handled Larry? How should she have handled Mary?