Rape Crisis Center Essay, Research Paper

Prof. Musa

Box 1176

Case Study:

Ch 10: Submerging the emergent culture

Rape Crisis Center

The Rape Crisis Center (RCC) has experienced some problems with the shift of management. The former director, Anne, was a team member, very relaxed, ran open-agenda meetings, and made decisions after discussions. Linda was hired to take over; she was very good at fundraising, but had no knowledge of sexual or physical abuse.

The staff members of the RCC did not like how Linda was operating the center. Her meetings were very organized, if you wanted a topic discussed you would have to let Linda know two days prior to the meeting to get it approved. Anne?s meetings were very open, and were used to support the other staff members, while no support was showed during Linda?s meetings.

Linda felt that the staff members were not using their time wisely, so she made them fill out time sheets; she also wanted to get rid of the troublemakers, which she concluded was anyone that questioned her authority. Linda fired Marsha, the office manager, with no warning. Linda would talk to other co-workers about the staff members. Funding was not raised, to keep some of the staff members at the RCC.

A board meeting was held to discuss some of the issues going on, the board concluded that there were problems. The problems consisted of poor communication, the authorization style of administration, lack of trust, Linda had a lack of knowledge about abuse, the staff compared Linda to Ann, Linda, did not accept feedback well, and people were talking behind others backs (176).

A facilitator, Joanne, was hired in. Two one-day meetings were scheduled. However the staff could not talk with Joanne before the meetings, while Joanne and Linda had several conversations before the meetings. The staff did not like this, because Joanne was always defending Linda?s side. A lost cause for the staff.

Six of the original staff members left within a half of year from the last meeting with Joanne. ?It?s ironic that our job is to help victims who have been abused, and we?re working in an abusive environment? (180).

Anne led the RCC in interpretive school theories of communication. She treaded the staff as individuals, two-way communication, democratic leadership, and everybody played a part in achieving the goal.

Linda used the functional school approach, which the staff members were not used too. She treated the staff as machines, was concerned with the outcome, wanted to minimize waste of resources (time), and strengthen her authority.

I think that board made the best decision they could by hiring a facilitator. Maybe a different person, other than Joanne, would have worked better. The problem should have been brought to the board?s attention earlier, before the problem worsened.