Question

sue and mary both want to get promoted to the supervisor position in their department when their current supervisor retires in a few months. neither is aware that the other also wants this position. sue has been actively lobbying upper management for this position but mary is unaware the sue has been doing this. sue and mary continue to get along and behave in a friendly manner toward each other. looking at this situation from the perspective of mary, is this a situation of conflict?

Answer 1

From Mary's viewpoint, there might not be an evident conflict, but the situation does involve an underlying conflict related to the pursuit of the same position. The way this situation is handled can result in either tension or growth.

Step-by-step explanation:

Looking at the situation from Mary's perspective, this conflict might not be visibly apparent since Mary is unaware of Sue's actions. However, it does constitute a form of underlying conflict. Conflict can manifest in different ways and does not always involve direct confrontation or awareness of differing goals. In this scenario, there is a position desired by both parties, and Sue's lobbying efforts could be seen as a form of covert conflict even if it's not recognized by Mary. It's important to remember that while conflict can be a source of tension, it can also lead to growth, provided it's managed constructively. In the workplace, it is the managerial approach that often sets the tone for how such situations are resolved.