Page 164 - Communication in Organizations Basic Skills and Conversation Models

Appendix A 153

might feel to have fulfilled this job in the first half year of your appointment. Also think
of one point of criticism you want to pass on to your headwaiter.

Role of observer
See Appendix B on role play (pp. 186–191).

Chapter 8 The personal problems interview

Exercise 8.1 ‘That difficult degree thesis!’

Description of the situation

It is not going well with student Reina. She has been studying for four years now and has
met all the obligations of her course, except for her thesis. She has just returned from a
training period abroad and has since lost all her motivation. Her student counsellor has
only had a short talk with her over the phone in order to ask her whether she is
considering graduating at the end of the year. In this phone call Reina confesses that she
doesn’t have the courage to fulfil her final obligations on a short-term basis. After a
couple of weeks the student counsellor decides to contact her again in order to discuss the
issue of graduation.
Divide the group into subgroups of three: the student counsellor/the student (Reina)
and observer. Use the rules in Appendix B on role play (pp. 186–191).

Role of student counsellor
Although Reina has been a source of concern for you (she’s been studying already for
four years on a three-year course), you still find it very unsatisfactory if she quits now
with the finish in sight. You do understand that the financial situation Reina is in does not
look too good (her grant will be stopped) and you also know that written reports have
previously been a stumbling block. The training period has also not been without
troubles, but because the location was a company in Milan you have not been able to do
much counselling. The training assignment was below the level of this education. Reina’s
remark that she has become less motivated regarding the remainder of her studies is a
reason to invite her for an interview. You strongly suspect that there is more to it than the
lack of financial aid. Besides, a solution could be found for that.
You are going to stage the interview according to the model in Chapter 8.