Problem:
You just got off the phone with Bud, following a similar call with Betty. They are both concerned that the position will be filled with someone outside the Chicago office. They really want to have their teams more involved in the project and feel this is an excellent opportunity for one of their people to step up. However, having someone from the Little Rock or Boulder office on the project really reduces the representation from Chicago. (You made a very strong effort at staffing the team equally, and this would change that, giving one location more people than the other locations.) You are leaning toward having Cathy on the project team because of her past experience and that would not adversely impact the project much.
Task:
Prepare an e-mail that you will send to Katy for her feedback.
Describe the situation and your concerns.
Present your recommendation of Cathy and explain your reasons.
Describe the reactions that you anticipate from Betty and Bud.
How will you work on getting them to agree on the choice? Identify motivational issues that may arise from your choice.
Objective:
Explain consensus decision-making and how to manage agreement.
Recognize and be able to apply approaches to conflict management.
Develop and staff project organization structures.