I Seem to Be Going from Bad to Worse

Abstract

This case reports, in his own words, the experiences of Javier, a 22 year-old factory worker, reflecting on three separate interpersonal incidents occurring within the past year at his job in a food processing plant that gave him cause for concern. A critical look at the incidents involving different issues and individuals, reveals a young employee who struggled to communicate effectively and was not acting proactively or able to resolve conflicts effectively when dealing with co-workers. An underlying issue in the case involves how expectations emanating from cultural traditions, in this instance Hispanic, affect Javier’s working relationships with workers of differing gender and age. The decision point is at the end of the case when Javier reflects on all three incidents and attempts to determine: (1) how he might have behaved more effectively in each situation, and (2) what he might learn from examining the overall pattern of his responses.