Assumption scenarios and their applications

Celeste is a wife and mother of two young children. She is in her mid-30s and has decided to go back to work. Her husband, a college professor, works an extra job, and so is tired all the time and does not spend enough time with the family. Celeste wants things to slow down for him. She will put the children in daycare. She'll have a 45-minute commute. The extra money will help Jim give up extra commitments. Economically, they will remain about the same but the burden will now be shared more fairly. She expects these changes will make the family happier.

the extra job of the husband leads him to being tired all the time

the extra job precludes husband from spending enough time with family

the children being put in daycare will not cause any affiliated burdens (tearing family apart)

enough money will be made from Celeste's work to alleviate Jim's workload

Celeste will even get a job

daycare and gas money will not cause an even more significant burden than before b.

A checks:

1) do some research towards costs of potential salary at work as well as costs of how much daycare and transportation will cost as to make an accurate cost-benefit analysis.

A c.

A alternatives:

1) obtain baby sitter to alleviate costs of daycare

2) have extended family support Celeste's family financially while Celeste guarantees employment for herself

3) husband can look for better paying job

4) Celeste can work from home making extra money while taking care of kids and saving up on transportation costs.

Scenario Three:

Maria, an instructor of interpersonal skills for managers, has had three sessions with a particular organization. She was told that Neil has not been able to keep a team together for more than three months at a time. She notices that, in her workshops, he lounges with a bored expression and reads the sports pages while she is speaking. She concludes his arrogance and hostility are hurting his performance. She writes him a memo about his behaviors (reading, looking bored, not bothering to contribute and the negative effect it has on the group). She asks him to eliminate these behaviors because she believes his power and prestige will grow.

A a.

A assumptions:

1) Neil is arrogant

2) Neil is hostile

3) such attributes are hurting his performance

4) Neil indeed cannot keep a team together for more than three months at a time

5) Neil is the cause for these teams breaking up

6) his power and prestige will grow after changing his behavior b.

A checks:

1) interview fellow team members, current and former about Neil's behavior

2) rather than giving him ultimatums on what to stop doing, have a talk with Neil to scan personality more accurately

3) look at his performance otherwise to see trends or patterns of behavior background and history c.

A alternatives:

1) speak with Neil - why is he really acting like he does during workshops?

2) figure out why the teams really dismantled... Neil may not be the cause.

3) determine if there are deeper problems in the organization than that of Neil's seeming ineptitude towards holding together a team.

Scenario Four:

Jeffrey, a manager in his 40s, works for a medium-sized organization in Chicago, and is fed up with work. The problem is not financial, it is that he is not being recognized. The boss recently brought in an outsider to help him at his own expertise. He has applied for other jobs and has been offered one in California. The interviewer flattered him. He felt his qualifications were being highly regarded. He feels that if he takes this new job, he'll clearly be recognized and rewarded.

A a.

A assumptions:

1) the flattery of the interviewer increases the chance of being hired

2) this new job will bring recognition and rewards that previous jobs have not

3) the boss bringing in an outsider indicates Jeffrey is not out there enough

4) Jeffrey's unhappiness results directly from the fact he is not being recognized

5) Jeffrey's non-recognition results from his current job post b.

A checks:

1) speak with the interviewer again to gauge more accurately feelings about his qualifications

2) online research on the industry accepting someone with his qualifications

3) figuring out why the boss really hired an outsider to help Jeffrey c.

A alternatives:

1) switch careers completely

2) work harder than he has been before, but strategically so he's always in the forefront of the limelight (this requires its own analysis)

Scenario Five:

Rod is a single father of three children. He takes his parenting responsibilities very seriously. He is also an independent contractor working out of his home office. He takes his work responsibilities seriously, as well. Although the aspect of having an office at home gives him many opportunities to be involved in his children's lives, the fact of having the job there all the time also causes him to keep working when he should stop -- when the kids expect him to be available. The kids continually remind him of the latter case. He believes moving his office out of the house will allow him to balance his efforts between work and family better.