MMH250 – Workplace Counselling and Negotiation Trimester 2 2021 Assessment Task 1 (Team of 2) DUE DATE AND TIME: PERCENTAGE OF FINAL GRADE: WORD COUNT: Thursday 26th August 8:00pm (Melbourne time) 25% (Part A: 20%, Part B: 5%) Part A: 2000 words, Part B: 500 words (no +/- 10%) Description This TEAM assignment is the result of an experiential exercise in which adult learning by doing principles are applied. The written report is based on a workplace counselling scenario including a manager and an employee. Information on the assignment scenario will be released in the Assignment 1 folder on the MMH250 Unit Site by the end of Week 2. Format: Counselling Exercise Report (Part A) + Reflection (peer) (Part B) Word Limit (there is no +/- 10%) • Part A – 2000 words (excluding cover page and reference list) • Part B – 500 words Team membership: 2 students (one student acting as the manager and the other as an employee) Team Formation and Registration Each team needs 2 team members. To assist with finding team members, a team formation discussion forum has been created. Once you have your team of 2, please enroll your team by going to TOOLS, then GROUPS and select an available team number. Please do not enroll in a team unless you have permission from the team to do so. All students not in a team by the end of Week 3 will be allocated together in teams of 2. Learning Outcome Details This task allows you to demonstrate achievement towards the unit learning outcomes. The ULOs are aligned with specific graduate learning outcomes – that is, the skills and knowledge graduates are expected to have upon completion of their studies – and this assessment task is an important tool in determining achievement of those outcomes. If you do not demonstrate achievement of the unit learning outcomes, you will not be successful in this unit. It is good practice to familiarise yourself with the ULOs and GLOs as they provide guidance on the knowledge, understanding and skills you are expected to demonstrate upon completion of the unit. In this way they can be used to guide your study. Unit Learning Outcome (ULO) Graduate Learning Outcome (GLO) ULO1: Explain the concepts and theories that underpin the processes of counselling. GLO1: Discipline Specific Knowledge and Capabilities ULO2: Apply conflict resolution skills to the resolution of workplace problem. GLO1: Discipline Specific Knowledge and Capabilities GLO2: Communication ULO3: Critically evaluate a dispute settlement process, and identify opportunities to improve the process. GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO5: Problem solving Requirements of the Exercise • As a team of two you will need to conduct a session utilising the micro-skills, TREASURE and GROW model to frame the engagement and conversation within the context provided (please see the Assignment 1 folder for information on the assignment scenario and other relevant documents, posted by the end of Week 2). • Before undertaking the session, it is highly recommended that each team member reads all the information carefully (information sheet and details for the role you are playing) and undertakes some preparation work. • Once both team members are ready, you need to undertake and video the exercise. The video should be around 15-20 minutes (it is ok if the session goes longer) and is included as a requirement in the assignment for your benefit (see the last dot point). You will need to submit the video of the exercise in the Assignment 1 dropbox. Please include the link to your video in the comments section of the Assignment 1 dropbox. You can use a video platform of your choice such as Zoom or Microsoft teams. Information on how to use Microsoft teams is posted in the folder called Learning Tools. • Once you have videoed the exercise, watch the recording back and together complete the observation sheet. The completed observation sheet will be useful to assist you with writing the report on your experience and ability to use the micro-skills, TREASURE and GROW model to frame the engagement and conversation. Include your completed observation sheet at the end of your report (within the same MS word document and not as an appendix). Requirements of the Written Report Based on the exercise, your team is then to write a report on the experience: • To outline the session which the team has undertaken • To evaluate the application of counselling skills in the role play o Whether the session allowed the employee to express what they wanted o Whether the session helped the employee and manager focus on a collaborative solution • To reflect on the connection between theory and practice in a counselling setting Reports will demonstrate underlying theory and reflection that explains the counselling process and includes the views of each of the team members in their role as manager or employee. For linking theory and practice in counselling, you will be assessed on the quality of sources of information, and how well you use these resources to support your arguments, as well as your referencing skills. You are expected to use at least eight (8) different academic sources. These include textbooks and at least six (6) articles from academic journals. Websites are only considered to be in addition to your 8 academic sources. The use of WIKIPEDIA is not allowed. You must use Deakin Harvard referencing to acknowledge your sources of information (both in-text citations and as a reference list at the end of your report). Report Structure (2000 words, no +/-10%) • Cover page – student names and ID numbers (not included in the word count) • Introduction – outline the aim of the report, the key points to be discussed and the structure of the report. • Body of the report – set out in paragraph format (no dot points or lists), and use subheadings when they contribute to an understanding of the structure of the report. The body should describe the activities and behaviours of the role players and analyse and evaluate their activities and experience including whether and how the workplace problem was resolved. The body of the report needs to integrate counselling theory such as the use of micro-skills, TREASURE and the GROW model. • Conclusion – short summary of the report • Part B – 500 word reflection • Reference list (not included in the word count) • Please note: Part A - 2000 word count includes Introduction, Body of the report and Conclusion. • An executive summary is not required. Part B: Reflection (500 words, no +/- 10%) Part B the 500 word reflection is to be included after the conclusion (see the report structure above). In your team of two, collectively write a 500 word reflection that reflects on the strengths and weaknesses of your teams’ interactions and how any weaknesses might be overcome in the future. This reflection should be an honest account and positively worded. Some questions that may prompt your reflection include: • What worked well in your team? • What didn’t work well? • What could you do next time to overcome any issues you experienced in your next team assignment? Follow a normal paragraph format and do not use dot points. Submission Each team is required to submit ONE copy of the assignment in the Assessment 1 Dropbox in the MMH250 CloudDeakin unit site on or before the due date. The assignment must be submitted as one MS word document. When uploading your assignment, name your assignment document using the following example: your team number_ unit code. For example: Team11_MMH250. Submitting a hard copy of this assignment is not required. You must keep a backup copy of every assignment you submit until the marked assignment has been returned to you. In the unlikely event that one of your assignments is misplaced a team member will need to submit your backup copy. Any work you submit may be checked by electronic or other means for the purposes of detecting collusion and/or plagiarism. You should check that you can see your assignment in the Submissions view of the Assignment Dropbox folder after upload and check for and keep the email receipt for the submission. Marking and Feedback The marking rubric for this task is below. It is always a useful exercise to familiarise yourself with the criteria before completing any assessment task. Criteria act as a boundary around the task and help identify what assessors are looking for specifically in your submission. The criteria are drawn from the unit’s learning outcomes ensuring they align with appropriate graduate attribute/s. Identifying the standard you aim to achieve is also a useful strategy for success and to that end, familiarising yourself with the descriptor for that standard is highly recommended. Teams who submit their work by the due date will receive their marks and feedback on CloudDeakin within 15 working days from the submission date. A news item will be posted on the unit site when the marks and feedback have been published. Extensions There will be no extensions granted unless there are exceptional and most unusual circumstances outside the student’s control. Teams who require an extension should submit a written request to the Unit Chair (Dr Sarah Steen), supported with documentation (for example, medical certificate, police report) BEFORE the assignment due date. Requests for extensions will not be considered after the due date and you will need to apply for special consideration. Late Submission The following marking penalties will apply if you submit an assessment task after the due date without an approved extension: 5% will be deducted from available marks for each day up to five days, and work that is submitted more than five days after the due date will not be marked and will receive 0% for the task. 'Day' means working day for paper submissions and calendar day for electronic submissions. The Unit Chair may refuse to accept a late submission where it is unreasonable or impracticable to assess the task after the due date. Calculation of the late penalty is as follows: • 1 day late: submitted after Thursday 11:59pm and before Friday 11:59pm– 5% penalty. • 2 days late: submitted after Friday 11:59pm and before Saturday 11:59pm – 10% penalty. • 3 days late: submitted after Saturday 11:59pm and before Sunday 11:59pm – 15% penalty. • 4 days late: submitted after Sunday 11:59pm and before Monday 11:59pm – 20% penalty. • 5 days late: submitted after Monday 11:59pm and before Tuesday 11:59pm – 25% penalty. Dropbox closes the Tuesday after due date at 11:59pm Melbourne time. Referencing Any material used in this assignment that is not your original work must be acknowledged as such and appropriately referenced. You can find information about plagiarism and other study support resources at the following website: http://www.deakin.edu.au/students/study-support Academic misconduct For information about academic misconduct, special consideration, extensions, and assessment feedback, please refer to the link - Rights and responsibilities as a student in the Unit Guide and Information folder in the Content area of the CloudDeakin unit site. Assessment 1 Marking Rubric MMH250 Workplace Counselling and Negotiation Scenario Information for the Employee (Noah) The scenario has been developed for the purposes of the MMH250 A1 assignment. The people, organisation and content is completely fictional. ************************************* You are Noah, a 30 year old software developer (within Division A) from Melbourne, Victoria. You have worked for Sage Solutions for 5 years. Sage Solutions is a software development company founded in 2005 that specialises in providing innovative solutions for educational providers in Australia and globally. The company has over 100 staff in Australia which are organised into six divisions (one recently created). Each division is run by a divisional manager, who is supported by a supervisor. The supervisors are responsible for managing their teams by coordinating and delegating work tasks, providing overall guidance and support and overseeing their team’s overall performance and employees’ individual performance. Divisional managers are supported by a core management team in accounts, strategy, marketing and human resources. Communication in the organisation is two-way, positive and everyone is encouraged to speak up, irrespective of where they are in the company’s hierarchy. Over the past several years, you believe you have met and exceeded all personal targets set for you by your supervisor (Jack), you have shown initiative in your work, you are reliable, a hard worker and get along with your colleagues. Page 1 of 3 Due to exponential growth in the educational field, Sage Solutions created another division (Division F) and were seeking to promote an employee to the role of supervisor in the new division. You applied for the role. You strongly believed you were the best candidate for the job as you were well qualified, you developed a very good application and interviewed well. However, you were not successful on gaining the new role as supervisor in the new division. The role as supervisor in the new division went to another member of your team, Olivia. Someone you thought was much less experienced than you and who had only joined the company within the last year. You were so disappointed that you did not get the job. You had been working so hard and believed you were the best person for the position. In seeking to understand why you were not promoted, you spoke with the divisional managers and your supervisor who were responsible for selecting the new supervisor. The feedback suggested that you were not ready for the role and you were told Olivia had more supervisory experience and therefore, was better suited to the position. It has been some time since you were unsuccessful and since then you have had a few personal problems at home with your family. The combination of being unsuccessful for a role you thought you deserved and the issues at home, have made you feel uninspired and unmotivated in your everyday work. You have been taking time off work and are frequently saying no to socialising with your colleagues outside work. Page 2 of 3 The bi-annual performance review was recently conducted and feedback highlighted that you are not meeting your targets and that Jack (your supervisor) expressed concern that the unexpected absences was causing problems in the team as many of your team members were needing to pick up some of your workload. Jack mentions to you that some team members have told him and mentioned to the divisional manager (Harper) that they are not happy with covering your work, redoing some of your work due to poor quality and some have expressed concern with your current behaviour. Jack noted that your colleagues said that you seemed distracted from work and not engaging with your team members. Upon reflecting on your performance review feedback, you are quite disappointed as you felt that you have been harshly reviewed and that it was an unfair representation of your work efforts, especially as you have been dealing with not being promoted and issues in your home life. You decide to ask the divisional manager, Harper for a chat about your performance review and ultimately your career prospects at Sage Solutions. Harper, the divisional manager agrees to meet with you on Monday morning. It is now Monday morning and you just entered Harper’s office for your meeting. END OF SCENARIO. Page 3 of 3 MMH250 Workplace Counselling and Negotiation Scenario Information for the Manager (Harper) The scenario has been developed for the purposes of the MMH250 A1 assignment. The people, organisation and content is completely fictional. ************************************* You are Harper, an experienced divisional manager from Melbourne, Victoria. You have an MBA and have completed many professional development courses (in areas such as leadership and coaching). You have worked for Sage Solutions for 12 years. Sage Solutions is a software development company founded in 2005 that specialises in providing innovative solutions for educational providers in Australia and globally. The company has over 100 staff in Australia which are organised into six divisions (one recently created). Each division is run by a divisional manager, who is supported by a supervisor. The supervisors are responsible for managing their teams by coordinating and delegating work tasks, providing overall guidance and support and overseeing their team’s overall performance and employees’ individual performance. Divisional managers are supported by a core management team in accounts, strategy, marketing and human resources. Communication in the organisation is two-way, positive and everyone is encouraged to speak up, irrespective of where they are in the company’s hierarchy. As a divisional manager for Division A, you work closely with Jack (a supervisor within your division) to manage one of the biggest divisional teams. You have an excellent working Page 1 of 3 relationship with Jack and together have achieved many aspirational goals for the company. You pride yourself on being an approachable and fair person and you enjoy working with others, helping them when needed. You encourage two-way communication and are well known for your open door policy; that is, you encourage employees to discuss any concerns, complaints, questions or feedback with you. As part of your role you often check in with the team individually and with Jack (division A’s supervisor) to see how the team is going and where your support is needed. During recent conversations with some of the team, you hear that some employees have expressed concerned about Noah’s performance and overall demeanour. You are told that Noah has been taking unexpected time off which is increasing others workload and at times some of Noah’s work has had to be redone because of poor quality. Others who work closely with Noah have observed that he is easily getting distracted from his work and not engaging with the team like he usually does. A close colleague of Noah also mentioned to you that he is having issues at home and you hear rumours that Noah is looking to leave the company and work for a competitor after being unsuccessful in getting the new supervisor’s role. After hearing this information about Noah, you have a chat with Jack who agreed with the comments made by Noah’s colleagues and also shared his concerns about Noah, particularly as he is not meeting his targets. Page 2 of 3 You receive an email from Noah asking to meet with you to discuss his recent performance review and his future career prospects at the company. You are very happy to meet with Noah and arrange to meet him on Monday morning. It is now Monday morning and Noah has just arrived to meet with you. END OF SCENARIO. Page 3 of 3 MMH250 Workplace Counselling and Negotiation Scenario Information Sheet The scenario has been developed for the purposes of the MMH250 A1 assignment. The people, organisation and content is completely fictional. ************************************* Company Details Company: Sage Solutions Product: Software development specialising in providing innovative solutions for educational providers Area served: Australia and globally Headquarters: Melbourne, Victoria Founded: 2005 CEO: Alex Blackmore Number of employees: Over 100 Organisational Structure: Divisional (six) Core management team: Accounts, strategy, marketing and human resources Page 1 of 2 Organisational Structure A visual representation of Sage Solutions which highlights where the individuals mentioned in the scenario (Harper, Jack, Noah and Olivia) fit within the organisation. CEO Division A Divisional Manager (Harper) Supervisor (Jack) Team (Noah) Division B Divisional Manager Supervisor Team Strategy Marketing Human Resources Division C Division D Divisional Manager Supervisor Team Accounts Divisional Manager Supervisor Team Division E Divisional Manager Divisional Manager Supervisor (Olivia) Supervisor Team Division F (new division) Team Page 2 of 2 MMH250 Workplace Counselling and Negotiation A1 Observation Sheet Manager: played by Micro-skills & TREASURE Joining Listening - minimal responses Listening - nonverbal responses Reflecting back content (paraphrasing) Reflecting back feelings/ emotions Employee: played by Examples from your session (In this column, include specific examples to demonstrate the use of the micro-skill/TREASURE) Asking questions Trust Empathy Real Feel free to add additional rows as needed (i.e to cover other aspects of TREASURE) GROW Notes based on your session Goal established • • Summarise process Highlight good / needs improvement Reality explored • • Summarise process Highlight good / needs improvement Options explored, one decided upon • • Summarise process Highlight good / needs improvement Way – forward / Action plan • • Summarise process Highlight good / needs improvement
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