43

8 Conflict ManagementIn this unit we practise:

business focus – talking about business crimebusiness language – using business idiomsbusiness simulation – drawing up business guidelines

ROYAL MALAYSIAN POLICE FORCE

Cameron Highlands

Witness Report – September

5th 2007

JJeessssiiccaa FFlliinntt,, wwiiffee,, 3355,, AAmm

eerriiccaann..

Mrs Flint believes her husba

nd committed suicide.

He had lost a fortune gambl

ing and was worried he

would have to sell his plant

ation to pay off some

debts to Sam Yip. She told

Flint and Yip to go

outside onto the balcony of

the bar because they

were having a loud argument

about money which was

upsetting the other club mem

bers.

SSaamm YYiipp,, ppllaanntteerr,, 5588,, MMaallaayyss

iiaann..

Mr Yip claims the fall was

an accident or suicide

- he’s not sure which. He

says he and Flint were

arguing about the money that

Flint owed him. Yip

stepped forward to show Fli

nt an IOU note* that

Flint had signed seven month

s ago, and Flint fell

or jumped back over the rai

ling. Yip strongly

denies touching him. As he

points out, how could

he get money from a dead m

an?

LLuuccaa LLoottaarriioo,, bbaarrmmaann,, 2244,, IIt

taalliiaann..

Mr Lotario thinks it was mu

rder. The balcony was

very narrow, both men had h

ad a lot to drink and

it would have been easy for

Yip to push Flint, a

tall man, over the low rail

ing. Lotario didn’t

see anything but heard Flint

say ‘Keep away from

me you little creep!’ Then t

here was a scream and

a crash.

MMaarrggaarreett PPoossttllee,, 2288,, ggoollff cc

lluubb mmeemmbbeerr,, BBrriittiisshh..

Ms Postle seems very upset

about the death of

Colonel Flint. She thinks Y

ip murdered him. She

knows that Flint owed Yip a

lot of money and she

saw them arguing on the bal

cony about it. She saw

Yip move close to Flint but

didn’t actually see

him push the Colonel.

* Abbreviation for ‘I owe you’: a written promise to pay back a debt

A British rubber planter who has livedin Malaysia for 27 years, ColonelWilliam Flint (aged 62), has died afterfalling 12 metres from the balcony barof the exclusive Port Jackson golf clubin the Cameron Highlands, in Malaysia.A local planter, Yip Keow Sung (usuallycalled Sam Yip) has been accused ofpushing him off the balcony. InspectorBasir of the Royal Malaysian Police isleading the enquiry.

1 A British rubber planter living in Malaysia,has died. Read the newspaper report and thewitness reports from the day after his death.What do you think happened?

BUSINESS FOCUS

Conflict Management 8

44

BUSINESS FOCUS

2 Inspector Basir has found various documents on the body of ColonelFlint, and in the possession of Mrs Flint and Sam Yip. He hopes they willhelp him answer these key questions:

• What were the relationships between the different people? • Was the fall an accident, suicide or murder? • If it was murder, who is the murderer and can he or she be arrested?

Work in small groups, A, B and C, and help the Inspector discover what is going on at the golf club. Work through the stages.

3 Different cultures have different distances that represent ‘personal space’.The story of Colonel Flint illustrates how different cultures react to thefeeling that their personal space has been invaded. Think about your ownculture. Work with a partner. Decide what is a comfortable distance foryou to be when you are talking to:

• a new work colleague • your boss• a customer• a friend of the same sex• a friend of the opposite sex

Is it the same for other people in your class?

4 What can you do to make sure that you do not appear too friendly ortoo unfriendly when you are doing business with a person from anotherculture? Does gender also make a difference?

Stage 1 Read the documents for your group.Groups A: turn to page 62Groups B: turn to page 64Groups C: turn to page 65

Stage 3Go back to your original group and compare theinformation your colleagues have collected. Can youanswer any of Inspector Basir’s questions now? What doyou think happened to Colonel Flint, and why?

Stage 2After you have read through and discussed your groupdocuments, form a new group with people from the othertwo groups. Exchange information about the documents,but don’t show each other the documents you read.

Sven, do you think you adapted alittle too successfully to Italian

customs?

BUSINESS LANGUAGE

45

Story Capstan consultants Kirrill Solokov and Macey Church have arranged aworkshop in a hotel in Geneva, for Thomas Meyer and Erol Sahin, ofOxfood, to help them resolve their interdepartmental conflict issues.

1 Before Thomas and Erol arrive for the workshop they are asked to thinkabout points 1–4 below. Listen to the discussion and fill in the gaps.

Conflict issue Thomas Erol

1 What is a typical conflict issue for you?

2 Can you give a recent example?

3 How did you feel about it?

4 How did you also create this issue?

2 Kirill and Macey help Thomas and Erol to explore the issues in more depth.Listen again and tick the question types that Kirill and Macey use from thelist below.

Open questions e.g.: Closed questions e.g.:

What kind of … Will you …?

How do / did you feel / see / think / react… Are there any …?

What’s … Have you …?

Why do you think …?

Comprehension questions e.g.: Leading questions e.g.:

Could you explain what you mean by … Don’t you think that …?

I haven’t quite understood what … You don’t agree, do you?

Could you expand on …

When you say ‘X’, what do you mean exactly?

Paraphrase questions e.g.:

So, if I’ve understood you right, you …

Correct me if I’m wrong, but you feel that …

So what you’re saying is …

3 Where have you put most of your ticks? Why do you think Kirill andMacey are using mostly these types of questions? When might the othertypes of question be more suitable?

4 Write down two or three things that irritate or concern you in your life atthe moment which you are happy to share. It could be something to dowith your work, studies, family … anything!

I can’t see any point in my job.

Conflict Management 8

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BUSINESS SIMULATION

5 Now exchange pieces of paper with your partner.Try to find out more about your partner’s problemsby using similar questions to the ones Macey andKirill use (see page 89). See if you can help him orher find a solution.

What makes you think there’s no point in your job?

6 What do you think would be the best way forThomas and Erol to manage their relationship inthe future?

7 Have you experienced conflict in a work situation?How did you deal with it? Have you ever had touse English in a conflict situation? What happened?

HOT TIP – the way questions

are asked is very important. Make sure

you use the right intonation. Try asking your

partner some questions similar to the ones in

the grid in 1) a very aggressive, unfriendly

way 2) in a very friendly, positive way.

Notice the difference.

BUSINESS SIMULATION

47

1 Read about the situation and then work through the stages.

The provincial governor of the northeastern province ofKazbakistan (see unit page 23 for country information) hasa problem. Although much of his province is desert, it ishome to the Terkomen nomads. The Terkomen travelwith herds of camels across the desert twice a year. Theylive mostly off camels’ milk and cheese and earn moneyby selling beautiful carpets and coats made from camelhair in the larger towns.

One of their most important stopping points in theirjourney across the desert is the oasis of Tuv. This is alsohome to a small village of farmers. Every year there issome trouble between the two groups but last year theconflict escalated and somebody was nearly killed. Bothsides have asked the governor to send somebody to helpthem resolve the conflict before it gets any worse.

Stage 2Come together in the traditional yurt (tent) of theTerkomen people to discuss the situation with eachother. Can you negotiate a solution to the conflictthat is acceptable to both sides?

Stage 1 Divide into three groups, A, B and C.Group A: you represent the local governor. Prepare a list of questions to ask bothgroups to see if you can find a solution.Group B: You represent the farmers of Tuv. Turn to page X and found out moreabout the background to the situation. Then prepare your position for the discussion.Group C: You represent the Terkomen people. Turn to page Y and find out moreabout the background to the situation. Then prepare your position for the discussion.

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PERSONAL DATA BANK

1 Complete the data bank with language that is useful for you. Thelanguage in columns 1 and 5 should come from units 7 and 8.

1 Key word (s) 2 Model sentence Similar (S) or 4 Translationopposite (O)

polarize Abortion is a topic which

polarizes opinion.

5 Useful phrases or idioms 6 Translation

Pick a fight

7 When can I use the language or ideas from units 7 and 8?