Question

Maria is a new accountant at the Adams Tax Firm. She has been frustrated during weekly staff meetings because she feels as though she is regularly ignored. Lately, when asked her opinion, she simply shrugs her shoulders and rolls her eyes, refusing the respond. To colleagues, she will confide about her frustration with management. "Dan never listens to me. He asks everyone else's opinions and ignores me, so I've decided to not respond back to him. What a jerk! What did he hire me for in the first place?!! I might just start looking for another job with a firm who will value me!" What is an appropriate response that demonstrates listening, openness and non-judgment, captures the emotional content and her concerns?

Maria, you seem really frustrated about feeling ignored and undervalued by Dan. It sounds like you are so upset that you are considering leaving.

Maria, I know you are frustrated, but you need to speak up. I'd hate to see you go.

Maria, If you'd only see your part in this, I know Dan would listen to you.

Dan is such a jerk sometimes, I know. He did that to me when I was new. Just stick it out for a while and you'll earn his trust.

Answer 1

As a new accountant in the Adams tax firms, Maria feels frustrated and ignored. She is being new in the organisation and feels left out. At the weekly meeting, when asked about her opinion she refused to respond to the management. Later she confides her feelings with her colleagues that her manager Dan never asks about her opinion. She says that her manager always asks for the suggestions and recommendations from her colleagues and not from her. She complains about her frustration and questions that why her manager has hired her if he did not want her to be part of his team and did not want to listen to her opinion. She also says that she will start looking for better job who will value her.

As per the question, the appropriate response that demonstrates listening, openness and non-judgement, captures the emotional content and her concerns is that “Maria, you seem really frustrated about feeling ignored and undervalued by Dan. It sounds like you are so upset that you are considering leaving”

In the above statement the listener understands Maria’s point of view of feeling ignored and frustrated. Maria shares that she feels undervalued and frustrated explains that she vents out all her feeling in front of the listener, this shows openness in the communication.

The statement, “It sounds that you are upset and that is why considering for leaving”, states that the listener is not being judgemental on Maria’s frustration. The listener understands both her point of view and her situation. Thus, the statement is non-judgemental and shows concern about her situation. the statement also captures emotional content as the listener is trying to show empathy towards Maria’s situation of leaving the organisation out of frustration.