Rough outline of the case

Organization - Deloitte USI

Major characters of the case

Protagonists- komal and Anjali

Current designations- Solution Advisors.

Team manager- Gaurang sharma

Senior manager- kirti singh

Conflict- competition for promotion when both the employees were at same level and aspiring for a
promotion together to next level i.e Senior solution adviser. For komal , it was a time- bound
promotion because she was working as a solution advisor for last two years while for Anjali it was an
accelerated promotion because she got promoted from analyst to solution advisor position last year
only.

Condition- only one of them will get promoted to senior level

Problem- the team manager assigned the two to the same project, now the problem arises in terms
of evaluation of performance, where both the persons indulge into stiff competition, where project
starts suffering.

The tussles starts with following things:

Releasing the emails to clients without proper ingroup discussion to increase one’s visibility

Keeping an eye on other persons work and how much utilization hours one is charging

Presenting other person’s work on virtual meetings to take unfair lead

Trying to be a single point of contact in the team to increase visibility of one’s name at US
headquarter of office where promotions gets approved.

Developing interpersonal relationships with the team manager

Many times the team manager tried to resolve the internal issues between them but all in vain.

End result- Seeing the stiff competition between the two and lack of evaluation mechanism.
company promoted both of them at senior solution advisor position and assigned them to different
projects.
Case form
Once upon a time in the bustling city of Delhi, within the well-established offices of Deloitte USI,
there were two Solution Advisors, Komal and Anjali, both with dreams of ascending to the coveted
position of Senior Solution Advisor, in the internal audit department. Their aspirations seemed
straightforward, yet they were about to embark on a journey filled with rivalry, collaboration, and
ultimately, a surprise twist.

Komal and Anjali were known for their dedication and expertise, but their paths to promotion
differed significantly. Komal had been diligently serving as a Solution Advisor for two long years,
patiently awaiting her turn to reach the next rung of the corporate ladder. On the other hand, Anjali's
rise had been meteoric, having been promoted from an Analyst to a Solution Advisor just the
previous year. For her, this promotion would be an accelerated leap.

Their immediate superior, Gaurang Sharma, managed their team, and the ambitious pair soon caught
his attention as the promotion season approached. It was evident that only one of them would be
able to seize the Senior Solution Advisor position, and it quickly became clear that their competition
was not confined to their professional pursuits alone.

Gaurang Sharma assigned them to the same project, believing that their healthy rivalry could drive
exceptional results. However, the friendly competition quickly escalated into a bitter feud that began
to affect the project's performance. Their tussles took various forms:

1. Email Battles: Komal and Anjali started releasing emails to clients without consulting each other,
hoping to increase their own visibility and impress the higher-ups.

2. Work Surveillance: Both became obsessed with monitoring each other's progress and keeping tabs
on how many utilization hours each was charging, hoping to gain an advantage.

3. Plagiarizing Credit: In virtual meetings, they occasionally presented each other's work as their own
to unfairly gain the upper hand.

4. Monopolizing Contacts: Each tried to become the team's sole point of contact, hoping that
increased visibility would secure their promotions, especially in the eyes of the US headquarters
where these decisions were made.

5. Playing Favorites: To gain an edge, they both attempted to develop personal relationships with
Gaurang, hoping that their connections would sway the decision in their favor.

Despite Gaurang's best efforts to mediate their conflicts, the rivalry showed no signs of abating, and
the project's performance began to suffer as a result. The team's harmony had been replaced by an
atmosphere of tension and mistrust.

As the promotion announcement neared, Deloitte's leadership was faced with a dilemma. The
performance evaluation process had been tainted by Komal and Anjali's relentless competition,
making it impossible to determine a clear winner. Faced with this conundrum, they made an
unexpected decision.

Rather than promoting just one of them, Deloitte decided to recognize both Komal and Anjali's
contributions by promoting them to the position of Senior Solution Advisor. However, they were
assigned to different projects, hoping that this separation would allow them to flourish without the
distractions of their fierce rivalry.

In the end, both Komal and Anjali had learned valuable lessons about the consequences of unhealthy
competition in the workplace. They would now have the chance to prove their worth on separate
paths, but their time together had forever altered their perspectives on professional growth and
collaboration. The story of Komal and Anjali serves as a reminder that competition, when taken to
extremes, can sometimes hinder the very success one strives to achieve.

Personality analysis-

Komal: Komal was a seasoned professional with two years of experience in her role. She had a
patient and methodical personality, which reflected her approach to career progression. Her patience
was both her strength and her weakness. While it allowed her to persevere in her role, it also made
her reluctant to take risks. Komal's dedication to her work was commendable, but it sometimes held
her back from seeking opportunities aggressively. She was committed to the company's values and
believed in the merit-based promotion system.

Anjali: Anjali, in contrast, was ambitious and driven. Her rapid rise from an Analyst to a Solution
Advisor showcased her ability to seize opportunities. However, her ambitious nature sometimes led
her to employ less ethical tactics to achieve her goals. Anjali was a risk-taker and wasn't afraid to
push boundaries to get ahead. Her ambition was her greatest asset, but it also led her to engage in
unhealthy competition.

Gaurang Sharma (Team Manager): Gaurang was the mediator in this conflict. He had to balance his
role as a manager while trying to resolve the tension between Komal and Anjali. His leadership style
leaned towards being diplomatic and accommodating, attempting to address their issues through
discussion and collaboration. However, he struggled to rein in their intense rivalry, ultimately leading
to his frustration.
Dilemmas:

Competition vs. Collaboration: The core dilemma revolved around the balance between healthy
competition and collaboration. Komal and Anjali's competition became unhealthy as they focused
solely on their individual success, ignoring the greater goal of the project and the team's success.

Performance Evaluation: The company's dilemma was how to fairly evaluate the performance of
Komal and Anjali when their rivalry had tainted the evaluation process. It became challenging to
assess who truly deserved the promotion due to their constant one-upmanship

Human Resources Theory of Team Dynamics:

Tuckman's Stages of Group Development: Komal and Anjali, initially, were in the "Forming" stage
when they joined the project. As the rivalry intensified, they regressed into the "Storming" phase,
where conflicts and competition dominated their interactions. Ideally, with effective leadership, they
should have moved through these stages to reach "Norming" and "Performing" phases where
collaboration and teamwork prevail.

Belbin's Team Role Theory: Komal exhibited characteristics of a "Completer-Finisher" personality,

Hawthorne Effect: The rivalry between Komal and Anjali disrupted the team's dynamics and had a
negative impact on their overall performance. The team's productivity declined, illustrating how
interpersonal relationships within a team can significantly affect its output.

Conflict Resolution Strategies: Gaurang's attempts to resolve the conflict aligned with various conflict
resolution strategies, such as negotiation and collaboration. However, these strategies failed to
mitigate the intense rivalry between Komal and Anjali. Ultimately, they were separated into different
projects to avoid further clashes.

Elements to be added further-

Work culture
How the two were appointed

Back ground of protagonists

Conversations between two protagonists

Conversation between protagonists and team manager

Colleague discussion

Role of senior manager

How the project was suffering

Biases regarding komal’s hiring or Anjali hiring

Direct relation between or Komal is a mutual friend Gaurang

Buddy program

Organizational structure

Conversation between Komal and Anjali before client meeting –

Komal (approaching Anjali's desk): "Anjali, we should really discuss our approach to the client
presentation for the upcoming project."

Anjali (confidently): "Sure, Komal. What's on your mind?"

Komal (tentatively): "I think we should collaborate more on this. Sharing our ideas and combining our
expertise could lead to a stronger presentation."

Anjali (assertive): "Komal, competition drives excellence, remember? I believe presenting our ideas
separately will showcase our individual strengths better."

Komal (concerned): "But Anjali, our last solo presentations caused confusion. Clients expect a unified
front."

Anjali (overconfident): "Don't worry, Komal. I'm confident our individual brilliance will shine
through."

Komal (hesitant, conceding): "Alright, let's give it a try, but we need to be careful not to undermine
each other.

Conversation between Client and Gaurang before client meeting –

Client (calling Gaurang): "Hello, Gaurang, it's [Client's Name] from [US Company]. I wanted to discuss
something that's been bothering me regarding your team."

Gaurang (attentively): "Hello [Client's Name], of course. I'm here to help. What's on your mind?"
Client: "Well, Gaurang, I've been working closely with your team, specifically Komal and Anjali, on a
project, and I must say, I'm getting a bit perplexed."

Gaurang (concerned): "I'm sorry to hear that. Could you please elaborate on what's causing the
confusion?"

Client: "It's mainly the coordination between them. I've received emails from both Komal and Anjali,
but it seems like they're not on the same page. Some information I provided to Anjali didn't seem to
make its way to Komal, and it's affecting the project's progress."

Gaurang (apologetic): "I see, [Client's Name], I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused
you. I appreciate you bringing this to my attention."

Client: "I understand competition can be healthy, but it feels like their rivalry is negatively impacting
our collaboration. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the situation."

Gaurang (grateful): "Thank you for being open about this. I take your feedback seriously, and I'll
address this issue with Komal and Anjali immediately. Our priority is to ensure a seamless
collaboration with our clients, and I'm sorry that this hasn't been your experience so far."

Komal, a name well known in Internal Audit Team of Deloitte, started her career with a strong
determination that set her apart from others. She came from a modest background and had always
been a great student. She was excellent in her studies and always aimed for the best. She grew up in
a smaller city, Lucknow, and had big dreams for her career.

After finishing her Chartered Accountant degree at the age of 22, Komal aimed to work in the
corporate world. She not only had a strong educational background but also a natural talent for
thinking smart and solving tricky problems. During a job fair at her college, the Deloitte USI
recruitment team noticed her potential.

Komal's journey at Deloitte started when she was hired as a Solution Advisor. In the beginning, she
worked really hard and was always eager to learn. She quickly understood the ins and outs of the
professional services industry and was determined to do her best in her role. Her colleagues
recognized her as a standout talent who could deliver excellent results even in high-pressure
situations.

As a Solution Advisor, Komal worked closely with a team of experienced professionals responsible for
giving expert advice to clients. Her journey to becoming a Solution Advisor had its challenges. She
spent long hours studying on her own to gain the knowledge and skills she needed for the job. She
asked for guidance from her more experienced colleagues and always did an outstanding job on her
projects. Her hard work paid off, and after two years of dedicated effort, she was promoted to the
position of Solution Advisor.