In today’s role play the starting point was that within the company CPA INC. payroll checks have been stolen and cashed with false endorsements. Two long term employees, Roo and Dana, are convinced that Sandy, the new employee, is the thief. Even if the forensic service has not yet analyzed the handwritings and thus no final proof is available, Roo and Dana told everyone that Sandy is guilty. JT, the head of payroll heard of all that and asks for a meeting.
I was playing Sandy and against everyone’s beliefs, I am not guilty. The mentioned accusations put my job at risk. I went to see my lawyer and he told me that there are grounds to sue Roo and Dana. I like working at CPA and I work very hard. I need the money as me and my husband just bought a house. My honor has been defamed, so I have to defend myself.
At the negotiation table were the manager JT, Roo and 2x Dana and me - Sandy. The negotiation started immediately, we did even forget to introduce ourselves. The other employees did not let me talk, they started with harsh accusations that it was me the thief and that they found it strange that I couldn’t afford the house at my age if it was not for theft. The three of them threw their accusations at me and it was quite tough to defend myself. I argued that they had no proof and that I would never put my job at risk. Further they found it suspicious that I was always working late and the last one to leave the office. Moreover I was not a sociable person they said, I was always on my own. This might be, it is my character but no reason to blame me for theft without proofs. The back and forth went on and it was very tiring to defend myself against three agressive opponents. I kept repeating that I had nothing to hide, that too much was at stake for me and that most of all, there was no proof that it was me. The results of the investigations of the forensic service were not out yet. Unfortunately the manager did not intervene very often at the beginning. I think she should have lead the negotiations more, it would definitely have been supportive for me. Towards the end she started to lead the negotiations by reaping and proposing to wait for the results of the handwritings. While one of the employees continued to attack me, two of them got a bit more cooperative as they saw how I was struggling and feeling bad. They proposed me that I should go eating with them more often and tried to integrate then they would wait for the the forensic results. But if I was said I was guilty I had to be fired immediately. I agreed on that point however, I could not agree on the fact having lunch with them before evidence was there that proves me innocent, which is what I was!
When debriefing afterwards we discussed the following points:
- no personal attack should be tolerated
- Set deadlines
- Try to break up the group as a group has a dynamic that is more violent than when one is alone.
- Not „you“ing too much
- Make the parties feel part of the solution
- Ask how they could feel safe without firing Sandy
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