The Rigid PITA at Work
This particular work scenario takes place in a human resources (HR) consulting firm. The HR firm is offering a benefits seminar to HR representatives in the region. The seminar provides an overview of different benefits packages that focus on various healthcare, insurance, retirement, and child care benefit options.
The CEO of the HR consulting firm gave four employees the project of developing an informational brochure that would be given to the seminar participants. Rick (the featured Rigid PITA) was assigned to work with Rita, a Rigid PITA herself; Fred, a free-spirited, flexible co-worker; and Hallie, a savvy, experienced professional.
During the first of several scheduled meetings, the four-member project team had two goals to reach by the end of the meeting: First, to determine the order in which the benefits would be listed in the brochure, and second to establish an overall design format to use. There was a lot of conflict in trying to reach the first goal. Everybody except for Rick thought that health care should be presented first. Rick felt strongly that retirement options should be presented first, and he wasn’t going to go down without a fight:”We have to remember that a high number of the participants are over the age of 50, so retirement will be at the forefront of their minds. I think it would be a mistake to start off with health care on our brochure.”
Rita wasn’t going to budge from her position either: “Well, I can’t imagine a benefits brochure that doesn’t put health care at the top of the list. I mean, one’s health is the most important benefit, period! Without health, they have nothing.”
Rick stood his ground by replying, “Well sure, nobody denies that health care is a primary benefit. But it’s important to tailor our brochure to the audience, and after talking to a few HR reps who will be attending, it’s obvious that retirement options are most important to them at this point in time.”
Fred (the flexible, easygoing member) was getting tired of this petty arguing and offered his opinion: “Does it really matter which one is listed first? I mean, as long as we’re including both of them, who really cares? I say we flip a coin and get on with it.”
Rita disagreed: “Well, I think it does matter; our company name will be all over this brochure, and we’re making a statement that retirement is more important than health care if we list it first. We’ll lose credibility with the HR reps if it looks like we don’t recognize what’s most important.”
Rick just had to respond: “I really don’t think we’ll lose our credibility; I think that’s a stretch. What I think we’ll gain is some respect and a stronger connection since we’re hitting them with something that resonates with them. They’ll be more inclined to read the whole brochure if we start the thing off with a bang.”
Rita replied, “I think it’s important to start things off right as well, but I don’t think retirement options is the best way to begin. You talked to only three people out of 50 or so who will attend the seminar. I’m sure if we’d poll all 50 we’d get a different result.”
Hallie (the experienced, level-headed professional) finally offered her opinion: “You both have good points, but, like Fred, I don’t think it’s going to make or break the brochure. And since most of us are comfortable with health care being listed first, let’s go with that for now. After we provide all the content and see what the whole brochure looks like, we can revisit it. Plus, we have only 15 minutes left to establish our overall design format.”
The project team had similar challenges deciding on a design format. Rick wanted to use photos and Rita wanted graphics without pictures. Rick felt that the photos would help the topics come to life, but Rita thought it would cost too much and was concerned about the photos looking dated before too long. Rita was hoping to use the brochure for years to come, and Rick felt that they should produce only enough for one year. Fred, not having a strong preference either way, suggested that they include both. Hallie suggested that they look into the pricing of stock photos versus photos taken and produced in house, and then make a decision based on what they found out.
The project team held three more meetings with similar dynamics at play. Rita and Rick became increasingly frustrated with each other.
