Page 167 - Communication in Organizations Basic Skills and Conversation Models
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Appendix A 156
progress of the report, but you are going to tell him that you won’t be working on it any
more and that you will put it off till next year.
Role of observer
See Appendix B on role play (pp. 186–191).
Exercise 10.2 More bad news
Description of the situation
In the undergraduate programme of a university twice a year a few hundred students go
off on an internship. The ‘internship office’ therefore has two peak periods in which the
secretaries, who work very accurately, are overloaded with work. Once in a while
something goes wrong, but it is solved fairly quickly. Just before the training period starts
the internship coordinators check whether everything is in order. Is the right student
going to the correct location at the right time? They have a last information meeting with
the students before they set off.
Role of student /trainee
You went to the last information meeting yesterday, just before you go off for your
internship. You are going to do your internship in a company that deals in energy in
another city. You are really excited about it. Everything is arranged and you have also
been able to find a room. You have arranged that some friends will help you move in two
weeks time. This morning the student counsellor called you to ask you to come to his
office today since he wants to discuss something with you.
Role of student counsellor
Last night very late you were called by the internship coordinator. He has really bad flu
and has not been on campus for a few weeks. The internship coordinator yesterday
discovered a problematic administrative mistake. It seems that two students have
registered for an internship with the same energy firm. However, the firm has specifically
stated that it only wants one student. He has tried to arrange something else at the last
minute, but without success. One of the two students has to be rejected, horrible as that is.
It is the case that it has to be reported to one of the students as quickly as possible.
Because the internship coordinator is ill, he has asked you to take care of this. In a while
you will have an interview with one of the students whom you asked to come by this
morning.
Role of observer
See Appendix B on role play (pp. 186–191).
