SLU Active learning Discussion

Bellerose Exhibits and Events is an event planning firm for various events or professional meetings (Dubrin, 2019). In addition to this, Bellerose Exhibits and Events also arranges location, transportation, installation of booths and technology for the events (Dubrin, 2019). The CEO, Dani, is attempting to implement a communication strategy known as “front-stabbing” into the workplace environment (Dubrin, 2019). This strategy utilizes complete honestly towards one another, directly to the person or people involved (Dubrin, 2019). Dani feels as though this is necessary because she believes communication now to be too polite and indirect to provide actual constructive feedback and criticism (Dubrin, 2019). She begins this initiative by communicating with a handful of employees, and none of them respond well to this new strategy (Dubrin, 2019). Many feel as though the initiative is not effective in providing feedback in the best possible way (Dubrin, 2019). 

           The root problem that Dani has is she is starting an initiative that not many people have been seen to respond positively to (Dubrin, 2019). When discussing the appearance of an employee, stating she looks less put together than she has in the past, Dani offends the woman and is told she is being harsh especially considering the fact that the employee has been experiencing personal issues (Dubrin, 2019). She is also seen as being rude about sign designs to an exhibits designer and an events-planning associate small minded (Dubrin, 2019). She has experienced the other end from the chief technology officer and came to the realization that this front-stabbing initiative could be a mistake (Dubrin, 2019). This has shown that Dani was not immediately aware of how it would affect her employees until she was directly impacted by the negative words herself (Dubrin, 2019). 

           The new candid feedback at Bellerose is not helpful or effective in any aspect. The employees have been negatively affected by the words that Dani has said to them, even expressing these feelings to Dani directly (Dubrin, 2019). This problem can be fixed by taking a few steps back and undoing the front-stabbing initiative. I believe it would be best for Dani to take responsibility and apologize for the harsh words that she has said to everybody, explaining that it was not her intention to create a nasty work environment for the group (Dubrin, 2019). The next step to continue to implement candid feedback is to take time in reflecting how one would like to be spoken to before speaking rudely to someone else. This would limit the harsh words being used for feedback and create a much warmer and more welcoming environment to provide feedback.