Question

Jaime feels as though her coworker, Hillary, is a being a little quieter than usual. Since this is unusual behavior, Jaime suspects that it has to do with her criticism of Hillary in a recent meeting. Jaime starts to feel a little annoyed that Hillary is upset over such a small thing.

What is the best approach for addressing their conflict at this stage of misunderstanding?

• Jaime says to Hillary, "I feel as though you've been distancing yourself from me since that last meeting. Did what I said upset you?"

• Jaime says to Hillary, "Why are you making such a big deal out of a little thing?"

• Jaime says to her boss, "I think Hillary has a difficult time accepting criticism."

• Jaime does nothing and waits for the conflict to go away.

Answer 1

• Jaime says to Hillary, "I feel as though you've been distancing yourself from me since that last meeting. Did what I said upset you?"

Explanation: This approach would make an impression in the mind of Hillary that Jaime is considerate of the issue and is willing to resolve it. This would help building trust between them and resolve the issue.