Case Study 3: Blurred Boundaries

Blurred Boundaries (CCT 373)

Table DiscussionIn groups of 3-4:

1. Read the case study and consider your response to the essential questions posed below.

2. Discuss each question below with your group, using the resources to support your responses.

3. Take notes on your discussion to share when the large group reconvenes.

Themes Addressed

• Personal and professional boundaries
• Communication and misunderstanding online
• Gender and power dynamics in the workplace
• Nonviolent communication (NVC)

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop and upon further reflection, students will:

1. Identify key aspects of professionalism for guiding online behaviour
2. Discuss how assumptions based on unclear language and appearance can be damaging, especially in a professional setting
3. Describe how context impacts the complexities of online communication
4. Apply NVC for conflict resolution

Essential Questions

As you read the case study, consider your response to the following questions:

1. How does using social media for workplace conversations impact our understanding of each other?
2. How do gender and power dynamics within professional settings inform reception and perception of communication?
3. How does culture (personal, professional, online, and in-person) shape our communications with others?

Case Study

Amira is a social media intern at Lamperon, an advertising agency in Toronto. She has been working at the agency for a few weeks, and believes she’s getting to know some of the organizational culture. Colleagues and supervisors often communicate with each other on multiple platforms—ranging from email, to discussions on Signal, and social media using Instagram direct messages. Lamperon is a company with 45 employees; thus, while most employees recognise each other, not everyone works directly with one another. As an intern, Amira doesn’t often interact with the CEO, Xavier; however, he does monitor the company’s instagram page. He weekly (if not more), likes the company’s posts, and often comments on them or reposts from his own accounts.

The agency utilizes an Instagram group chat to discuss potential posts they have created for their various clients. Amira has been working with an Italian restaurant, Franco’s, to promote the opening of its new location. On Lamperon's account she posted a photo story that captured her with another intern at the restaurant with a text overlay that reads “Franco's carbonara is a must—honestly mind-blowing how good it is!” Xavier, the CEO responds to the story, which is sent to the company’s via DM: “Super hyped that we’re working with them! One of my all-time favourite Italian places”.

A few days later, Amira goes to a Blue Jay’s baseball game with a few other interns from the agency. On her personal Instagram story, she posts a video of she and her colleagues cheering when the Jays won the game. When she arrives home she realises her boss, Xavier, has responded to her story with three flame emojis. Previously Xavier only interacted with her Lamperon Instagram account content. However, she noted there is a practice at the agency of employees and supervisors following each other on social media. She reacts to his message by liking it (which puts a red heart emoji on the message) and didn't think about it again until she received an additional message that she replied to:

Instagram dm conversation between Amira and her boss, Xavier.

She observes that the other social media intern was not invited, however the other intern was also in the photo at Franco's Italian restaurant. Amira feels conflicted about this situation. On one hand, she feels excited that she’s getting a new opportunity presented to her by the CEO, and that he wants to further connect with her. On the other hand, she feels worried that this may go beyond the confines of her placement at the agency. She needs clarity regarding the intention and context of meeting outside of work. Amira is also an international student, so she isn't sure if this is a part of Canadian culture.

She is worried that her career prospects at the company will be jeopardised if she doesn’t attend the dinner. She decides to ask her roommate, Skylar, what they think about the situation. Skylar was born and raised in Toronto and is doing an internship at a bank. As such, Amira is interested in their perspective. Skylar relayed that they also feel conflicted about the situation. They share that at the bank it’s not commonplace for senior management to have one-on-one dinners with interns in the evening.

Amira would like to request guidance from her internship supervisor, Paige, as well as her CCT/WRI 410 professor, as she doesn’t want to offend Xavier.

Discussion Questions

Keeping the essential questions in mind,

1. Reflect on Xavier's correspondence with Amira. What about his communication could have led to different interpretations of his intentions? How could Xavier have communicated differently using NVC?
2. Reflect on Amira's correspondence with Xavier. What about her communication could have led to different interpretations of her intentions? How could Amira have communicated differently using NVC?
3. If you were Paige, the internship supervisor, or the professor, what guidance would you give to Amira?
4. Why is the context of the industry important when considering how to navigate these situations professionally?
5. Have you dealt with a similar misunderstanding around social media communication? If so, please share how you approached the situation.

Additional Resources

You can use the following resources to help you answer the questions:

Post Mortem on a Misunderstood Post, Centre for Inquiry

ICCIT Code of Conduct

NVC Resources

Privacy and social media in the workplace | Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Student Guidelines for Respectful Online Conduct | University of British Columbia Equity and Inclusion Office