Conflict resolution
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Telstra
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W was a product owner for one of my teams in Media. I noticed that he was increasingly getting himself excused from user story refinement sessions, beginning to withdraw. This was also the time when there were interactions with the senior management in media around team restructuring (feature teams).
One fine morning W summoned me to his 20th floor office. The moment he saw me, he turned red faced. The moment we went into a meeting room, he blasted me off. For the next 15 minutes he vented his ire. He seemed to harbour a fear that his job is on threat. And that I as an Agile Coach / Scrum Master was conniving with the senior management to throw him out.
There was a context to this. Telstra was going thru a gigantic transformation exercise. Age old team structures were being taken down to reorganise people into meaningful cross-functional teams.
I patiently heard W. Apologised to him if there was any misunderstanding. And now that he was at ease after letting himself out, I started putting forward the background of what was happening.
1. What are your concerns / fear?
2. In your opinion how could we have approached this?
3. Is there a better approach you think could assuage you and other people?
4. Let's agree to a way of communication going forward. I want to be honest with you, and expect the similar honesty from you.
It was then W came out with the fact that he was caring for a dying mum, and his emotions were getting mixed with the uncertainty times in the office.
After the matter was resolved, an hour later I receive an email where W officially apologised for his behaviour.
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