Case 2: Two weeks later, the intern is responsible for weeding invasive species

Case 2:
Two weeks later, the intern is responsible for weeding invasive species and leaving some native plants that are naturally returning to the soil. After clear instructions and plant identification, the intern nods and agrees that they are ready to begin and able to finish the area that they have been tasked with. Once the intern has started, the intern notices how time consuming the method of weeding is that they have been asked to use.
The native plants are hard to see and rare. It makes more sense to weed faster since there are many invasive species taking over, and the intern wants to prove that they are efficient and effective in their job. The intern clears the area they are responsible for and hasn’t found any of the small native plants. After completing the task, the supervisor asks how it went and states that they are surprised at how quickly the work was finished.

The next day, the supervisor has had a chance to walk through the area the intern was weeding and notices that not a single native plant was saved. When the supervisor approaches the intern to discuss this with them, the intern states that they “forgot” about the native plants, and “there weren’t any there anyways.” The intern then shares that they offered to help another person with their area and weeded more than was assigned in an effort to be helpful. The supervisor asks which areas specifically the intern worked in and finds that no native plants were saved.

When the intern is given responsibilities, the following pattern emerges:
The intern often agrees verbally and nods while listening to instructions but does not ask questions or for clarification about the procedures until the intern is corrected by a colleague or the supervisor.
The intern is usually the first to finish a task, but the supervisor often asks for certain steps to be repeated or The supervisor and the intern do not consistently agree about when work is completed, or which tasks need to be prioritized over others in order to ensure high quality and demonstrate a strong work ethic.
In the absence of step-by-step instructions from the supervisor, the intern creates the most efficient method for completing their tasks, even if that doesn’t utilize some of the applicable skills or practices the supervisor has trained the intern to use.

This assignment will allow you to practice collaborative communication and messaging, as often in the workplace you have time to reach out to someone you trust to seek guidance on how best to respond to a given situation in a solution-oriented way. This may come in the form of having someone review an email for clarity and grammar, but you also may find that you need guidance in preparation for a meeting or in dealing with more difficult personalities in the workplace. There are always tools at your disposal (even a simple google search for email templates), and you should not be afraid to wait before responding and seek those resources out.
In groups of 4 (or individually), review the Case Studies and prepare a 750-word response detailing the course of action (from the options given) that you, as a group, feel would be the most effective at alleviating the problems presented in Case 2.
There is no right or wrong answer for the case. I am simply looking to see how well supported your recommendations are. Your response should be formatted as if you were writing this recommendation for a client who will be able to utilize your recommendation to resolve the issue and improve the flow of communication between the parties involved.
I have provided the Communication in the Workplace presentation (PPT) / (PDF) on communication in the workplace. Please ensure to utilize some of the technical terms from both the reading as well as the PowerPoint to demonstrate an understanding of the material. If you are having trouble connecting the material to the assignment, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns. I am very responsive, so I am happy to provide direction as needed. The response does not have to be essay style, so please feel free to play around with the formatting, ensuring that your collective ideas are neatly organized.
Your group response should answer the following questions:
What communication issue (s) do you see present in the case?
Which option do you recommend of the ones presented?
How do you feel your course of action will clarify things between the parties and solve the issue (s) present?
Which course of action would have been most effective at alleviating the problems experienced in Case 2? And why?
The supervisor needs to initiate a conversation about the intern’s performance and provide the intern with feedback about their performance.
The intern should initiate a meeting with the supervisor to provide some feedback to the supervisor and let them know that their directions are not always clear, and that they should be providing more detailed instructions more often.
At the start of the next assignment, the intern should clarify the task with the supervisor including the steps involved and what each step entails and how long each step should take.
At the start of the next assignment, the intern could speak with the supervisor one-on-one and discuss which parts of the assignment to prioritize and identify who could answer questions during the process. If needed, the intern and supervisor could complete a small example together, so that they both have the same understanding of the task.
The intern needs to ask for a partner to work with, so that they can check-in more consistently on their progress and hold each other accountable for completing their work properly and thoroughly.