Supervision in the Hospitality Industry- AHLEI Practice Test

What is the best way for supervisors to discover the feelings of employees involved in a conflict?

1. Encourage employees to clearly express what they feel

2. Interrupt employees and ask them to clarify emotions

3. Offer interpretations of what you may think they are feeling

4. Sympathize and agree with their feelings

The correct answer is: Encourage employees to clearly express what they feel

Encouraging employees to clearly express what they feel is the most effective approach for supervisors to understand the emotions of those involved in a conflict. This method creates an open and supportive environment where employees feel safe to share their thoughts and feelings. By actively encouraging clear expression, supervisors can facilitate honest communication, which is crucial for conflict resolution. It empowers employees to articulate their perspectives, leading to a more in-depth understanding of the situation. In this context, merely interrupting employees to ask for clarification can disrupt the flow of conversation and may lead to further misunderstandings. Offering interpretations of what you think they may be feeling can also project assumptions rather than actual emotions, potentially invalidating their true feelings. While sympathizing with and agreeing with their feelings may seem supportive, it can also shift the focus away from resolving the conflict to merely sharing an emotional response without any constructive dialogue. Therefore, promoting open expression stands out as the most effective strategy in this scenario.