Introduction

Collin is a long-time employee at American SteelCo and has developed and managed a critical software system. It is used for estimating, detailing, purchasing and creating bills. The system has led to frequent errors and employees often blame each other for mistakes. Despite this, Collin defends the system and resits change. 

Suzy is a new supervisor who recognizes the problem with the system Collin created and is willing to improve it. She has been asking questions, seeking alternatives and gathering information from other companies. Collin is not happy with her questioning and becomes very defensive and angry. Suzy has tried to discuss the issue with Collin, but he shut her down. Suzy regularly speaks with the CEO, Monte, who supports her but wants to ensure that any changes are beneficial and cost-effective. 

The situation is a conflict between Collin's unwillingness to change and Suzy's desire to improve the system. 

Conclusion 

Fostering Collaboration Between Collin and Suzy

To create a more cohesive working relationship between Collin and Suzy, a structured approach to communication and collaboration is essential. Given Collin’s preference for downward communication and Suzy’s analytical and growth-oriented mindset, implementing a Wheel Network approach—with Monte serving as the central communication facilitator—would help ensure that both parties feel heard and supported while working toward a shared goal of improving the system.

Monte’s role in this structure would be to actively seek and share information, ensuring that all concerns, proposed changes, and solutions are reviewed objectively. This will help filter unnecessary tension and allow discussions to focus on tangible improvements rather than personal conflicts. To encourage upward communication, Monte should create an environment where Collin feels valued but also understands that constructive feedback and system improvements benefit the company as a whole. By reinforcing the importance of accurate and efficient processes, Monte can help Collin shift his perspective from defending outdated methods to recognizing the opportunity for refinement.

For Suzy, adjusting her approach to communication can also facilitate better collaboration. By presenting data-driven evidence and solutions with clear, objective reasoning in Monte’s presence, she can reduce the emotional tension in discussions. Additionally, Suzy can improve her message encoding to frame her suggestions in a way that acknowledges Collin’s expertise while demonstrating how small adjustments can enhance accuracy and efficiency without completely dismantling his work.

Ultimately, creating a structured feedback loop—where Collin’s insights are considered while also holding him accountable for addressing system flaws—will help bridge the gap between resistance and improvement. By focusing on shared goals, providing clear data on inefficiencies, and maintaining Monte as a communication facilitator, both Suzy and Collin can work together more effectively to refine the system in a way that benefits both employees and the company as a whole.

Key Term Definitions

Downward Communication - Managers or supervisors send messages to lower-level employees, providing direction, feedback, announcements, or changes. It reflects an organization’s hierarchy, assuming authority flows from higher to lower levels. 

Wheel Network - Centralized communication structure where the leader directly sends and receives all information. It works well in small organizations but can be inefficient in larger ones, as it relies entirely on the leader’s knowledge and communication.

Encoding - Process of converting an idea into symbols, words, or diagrams, influenced by the sender’s knowledge, skills, and experiences, which impact the message’s clarity and effectiveness. 

Filtering - Passing on only the most critical information or even screening information and conveying only what may be received the most positively by one's supervisor.

Upward Communication - Occurs when employees communicate with those above them in an organization. 

This text was refined with OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT ( March 4th version) [Large language model]. Used for academic project assistance in accordance with WSB AI Syllabus Guidelines. Available at: https://chat.openai.com/chat. 

This explanation was refined using concepts from Organizational Behavior in Practice (Andrade, 2020).