SCENARIO: Monica and Jennifer are coworkers that have been assigned to work on a project together. Jennifer is very organized and wants her and Monica to do really well on this project. To get started, Jennifer took some initiative and prepared a list of to-do items along with the due dates. She even color-coded the list to indicate who will do which item. Shortly after, Jennifer sends an email to Monica with the to-do list attached. Jennifer wants her partner to know that she is serious about their success.
Monica is happy her teammate has shown initiative but is surprised by Jennifer's to-do list and feels a bit uncomfortable as she is feeling like Jennifer is micromanaging her. Monica wants to do her part on the project but is feeling anxious because she doesn’t know where she fits in. Monica is worried about working on the project. She wonders if she can succeed in this project since Jennifer is already the leader. Prior to this situation, Monica worked for a separate employer who asked her to work on a similar project. She felt anxious about her ability to successfully complete the project and attempted to communicate her feelings with a co-worker. However, her co-worker didn’t seem to understand Monica's concerns and said that she should just ignore her feelings and get the work done.
As Monica ponders having a conversation with Jennifer, she starts to feel overwhelmed and thinks it might just be easier to be removed from the project.
Now, it is time to practice the skills and concepts that you have learned to help your friend Monica navigate through a difficult workplace situation. Using your problem solving and self and social awareness skill, as well as what you have learned about personality traits and emotions, answer the questions in this case study assignment. Remember, you are to help Monica calm her anxiety and find a solution to her problem.
Emotional Response and Self-Awareness
Monica's emotions are key to this situation:
Emotion: Anxiety (feeling worried about future success), Uncomfortable/Discomfort (due to feeling micromanaged), and Overwhelm (leading to the desire to withdraw).
Self-Awareness (Internal): Monica correctly identifies that her feelings are tied to her past experience ("Prior to this situation, Monica worked for a separate employer..."). This is a crucial step in self-awareness—recognizing that the current situation is triggering old, unresolved anxieties about competence and control.
Social Awareness (External): Monica recognizes that Jennifer's actions, while well-intentioned ("happy her teammate has shown initiative"), are creating a dynamic where Monica feels marginalized ("doesn’t know where she fits in" and "Jennifer is already the leader").
Recommended Plan: Problem-Solving and Social Skills
The solution requires Monica to shift from an avoidant emotional reaction to an assertive, problem-solving stance.
1. Calming the Anxiety (Self-Regulation)
Before any conversation, Monica must manage her emotional state.
Acknowledge and Validate: Monica should internally validate her feelings: "It's okay to feel anxious about control and communication, especially given my past experience. My previous coworker's advice to 'ignore' my feelings was unhelpful."
Reframing: Monica needs to reframe Jennifer's action. Jennifer is not trying to undermine her; she is demonstrating her high conscientiousness. Monica should reframe the to-do list as a draft document and Jennifer's initiative as a resource, not a final order.
Actionable Pause: Monica should write down three specific, factual concerns about the list (e.g., "The due dates are unrealistic," "I need to lead the analysis phase," "The color-coding doesn't align with my strengths"). This moves the focus from vague anxiety to concrete, manageable points for discussion.
2. Developing an Assertive Communication Strategy (Social Awareness/Skills)
Monica needs to initiate a dialogue that addresses the working style conflict while acknowledging Jennifer's positive intent. The goal is a collaborative restructuring of the partnership.
Sample Answer
This scenario highlights a common workplace conflict rooted in misaligned expectations and communication styles, amplified by Monica's past negative experience. The goal is to help Monica address her anxiety, assert her role, and establish a productive working relationship with Jennifer.
Analysis of the Conflict and Monica's Experience
1. Personality Traits and Communication Styles
| Individual | Likely Personality Trait(s) (Big Five) | Communication/Behavior Style |
| Jennifer | High Conscientiousness (specifically Orderliness and Achievement Striving). | Proactive, Initiating, Task-Focused, and Directive. Her goal is success, but her method of unsolicited, color-coded task delegation is perceived as micromanagement. |
| Monica | Potentially higher Neuroticism (prone to anxiety and worry) or lower Self-Efficacy regarding project management. | Passive, Anxious, and Avoidant (contemplating quitting the project). Her history shows a tendency to internalize anxiety and struggle with direct, assertive communication. |