A520.2.3.RB - Shuck, Allison

Conflict Resolution

What was the conflict?

In my experience, ninety-nine percent of all conflicts arise due to miscommunication; where either myself or the person I am conversation with misinterpreted the meaning of a message. For example, about two years ago, I had a pretty big fall out with one of my colleagues from the accounting department due to miscommunication. This particular colleague, let’s just call her Lindsay, called me on the telephone to ask me about a loan adjustment that had been placed on a student’s account; she wanted to know what the loan adjustment was from.

In response to her question, I explained that all loan adjustments are in result of a Title IV Return of Funds. I continued to explain that when a student withdraws from all classes within a given term, the financial aid office must process a Return of Funds (ROF). A ROF is calculated by dividing the total number days within a scheduled course period by the total number of days in which the student has completed. The result of this calculation will give you the percentage of Title IV Funds earned that can be awarded to the student; all other funds must be returned to the Department of Education; which will create a balance on the students account.

After explaining the ROF process, Lindsay expressed that she did not completely understanding the transactions processed within the accounting screen and as a result asked me to speak with the student. At that time, I expressed to Lindsay that I do not know how to read the accounting transactions either and that it was not a part of my job responsibility. I continued by asking Lindsay “isn’t reading/interpreting the accounting transactions a part of your job?  This created a huge conflict!  Lindsay thought I was telling her that she wasn’t doing her job; when in fact, I was simply seeking out information.

What role did you play?

I was the recipient/initiator; when Lindsay called, she was already very confused and frustrated; and as a result, made me frustrated. However, I did not help the situation when I asked Lindsay about her job responsibilities.   

Who were the other participants in the negotiation?

As a result of my question, Lindsay became very irate and refused to speak to me about the situation. So, she decided to discuss the situation with my supervisor instead. Hence, my supervisor acted as the mediator. 

What was the result?

After informing Lindsay about the meaning of my question, I apologized to her for the misunderstanding. In addition, agreed to evaluate the situation fully before responding.  Lindsay however, did not apologize to me as she felt that she did not do anything wrong.

Can you see any room for improvement to how the conflict was handled?
Yes, I believe that when a conflict arises, the people involved should discuss the conflict, why it happened and what to do in order to prevent the same conflict from happening again in the future. I think the situation could have been handled differently. Lindsay should have taken the time to cool off before addressing the situation. I also think that she should have tried to talk to me first before addressing the problem with my supervisor.