CASE STUDY

Think about the information that was shared with you on managing conflict so far to complete a short case study. Read the case scenario below, then respond to three questions about the case scenario

Situation

You are the Director of a program that is assisting the Ministry of Health $($MOH$)$ to make drugs for managing AIDS widely available to people throughout the country. You are asked by an external donor and the MOH to second a clinical mentor to the main hospital in the capital city. The role of the mentor is to assist Dr$.$ Emmauel Mutamba, the hospital director, in setting up an AIDS clinic at the hospital and to work with the MOH to develop similar clinics in other hospitals and health centers in the country.

Meet the staff

Dr$.$ Mutamba is a much$-$revered senior clinician and the hospital director. He has been involved in the training of many of the junior doctors at the hospital. He comes from a culture where direct conflict in the workplace is extremely rare. He grew up in a traditional culture where calm communication and deference to authority was the rule. In his experience, senior leaders are shown respect and a direct report would never be confrontational. Instead, senior staff are trusted and treated with respect. He prides himself on creating a workplace that exemplifies these values and feels he is a successful leader. Dr$.$ Mutamba did not have input into the decision to hire the clinical mentor and was taken by surprise when you called to tell him the Mentor was coming.

Dr$.$ Sara Halston is an American woman in her early $30$s$.$ She is an infectious disease specialist whose training and limited practical experience has focused on HIV care and this is her first overseas posting. Dr$.$ Halston is called $$Sara$$ by everyone she knows, even by her young nieces and nephews, and the students she supervised at her university. She grew up in a family and community where talking loudly, freely debating, and direct confrontation were common and acceptable. Her family is loud and extremely verbal and she thrives in this type of environment and appreciates a good debate. S he has always encouraged her staff and colleagues to $$speak up$$ if they have a problem, and she has worked under supervisors who appreciated her approach. She feels she is most successful when there is opportunity for open and public debate.

Now that we$$ve learned a bit more about Dr$.$ Mutamba and Dr$.$ Sara Halston, let$$s learn about how they work together.

Working together

Dr$.$ Halston arrived in country and was posted to the hospital. There is immediate friction between Dr$.$ Halston and Dr$.$ Mutamba. Dr$.$ Halston is very excited about her role and has many ideas for how things should be done. She is confident that she can make an impact $$ and quickly. Many of the hospital staff are also excited to learn more about HIV and to start the new clinic because they currently feel ill$-$prepared to handle the HIV infected patients who are coming to the hospital. Dr$.$ Halston has requested a meeting with you.

It is three months into the posting when Dr$.$ Halston comes to talk to you. She reports that initially she felt she was able to share her ideas and make suggestions about the new clinic. Things seemed to be moving forward well. But now, since Dr$.$ Halston spoke out at a meeting with the MOH about all the challenges she sees at the hospital, Dr$.$ Mutamba has not met with her, nor has he communicated his expectations to her. Dr$.$ Halston is feeling under$-$appreciated and under$-$utilized. She wants you to sort things out with Dr$.$ Mutamba.

In addition to your meeting with Dr$.$ Halston, you also received a phone call from Dr$.$ Mutamba last week expressing dissatisfaction with Dr$.$ Halston and citing her incompetence. Dr$.$ Mutamba thinks Dr$.$ Halston should be sent home and someone $$more experienced$$ should come in her place. You have also heard that there are factions forming in the hospital, with some doctors showing loyalty to Dr$.$ Mutamba and others anxious for the new clinic to start and siding with Dr$.$ Halston.

Question Based on the information just presented answer three questions:

$1.$ What are the issues with each party in the conflict?

$2.$ What type of conflict is it$?$

$3.$ What tendencies do each party display in terms of addressing conflict?

Question $2$ : Now, think about how culture affects conflict management. What cultural factors are coming into play in this scenario?

Question $3$ What can you do as the director to resolve the conflict between Dr$.$ Mutamba and Dr$.$ Halston?