s02e21-Conflict Resolution

So have you found a band yet for your wedding? No.
'Cause I'm in a band.
We really rock.
Yeah.
I mean, it's inevitable.
I definitely overhear some wedding preparation, but I'm fine with it.
She hears me arranging my social life.
And we both have to hear Dwight order deer urine over the Internet.
So it evens out.
Oh, I got the Save-the-Date.
Yeah? Yeah.
Pretty stationery.
Oh, thanks.
ANGELA: I didn't get mine yet.
Oh.
There are a few people I decided not to invite, and that might make things kind of awkward, but it's my wedding.
And I don't want anyone there who has called me a hussy.
Yes, thanks.
Fantastic Sams, Adult Cut Plus.
Comes with a shampoo and blow-dry.
We're doing ID photos today.
Gotta represent.
On or off? Off.
Okay.
Oh, what is on your face? Is that a disguise? Excuse me.
Clown paint.
ID badges are long overdue.
Security in this office park is a joke.
Last year, I came to work with my spud gun in a duffel bag.
I sat at my desk all day with a rifle that shoots potatoes at 60 pounds per square inch.
Can you imagine if I was deranged? MICHAEL: That's a nice tie.
Thank you.
That is Who makes that? I don't know.
Do you mind if I wear that for the photo? Let's Let's keep our clothes.
OSCAR: It's like child abuse! I say, if Jesus saw that, he'd freak out! He'd freak out, Toby! I mean, on so many levels! And I'm supposed to work there? I'm supposed to What's the dealio? Just letting Oscar vent a little.
We would use the break room, but the photographer's back there.
What's the problem? Angela.
There's just a little dispute over a poster in their workspace.
Since Christmas.
So, what, you're having a little spat? I forget, are you guys dating? No.
Michael, can I talk to you for a second, please? Yes.
Here's how I usually handle this.
All I do is listen, you know? These things just have a way of working themselves out.
It's like if you write someone a letter when you're really angry, they say to keep it in a drawer for a couple of days and then you just never end up sending it.
What do you know about conflict resolution? Your answer to everything is to get divorced.
So Okay.
Okay, what? That was the right decision for me and my marriage.
Yeah.
Well, that's not gonna fly here, because in this office it is till death do us part.
Assuming that we don't get downsized.
Pam, would you get Angela and meet us in the conference room, please? A "Mediators Toolchest.
" Okay.
Well, before we get started, you should know that there are five different styles of conflict.
(IN MOCK ASIAN ACCENT) My Shaolin temple style defeats your monkey style.
Can we go? I have a lot of work to do.
No.
This is important.
Okay.
The first style is lose-Iose.
What's the next one? Just hold on, please.
Okay.
If we do lose-Iose, neither of you gets what you want.
Do you understand? You would both lose.
Now, I need to ask you, do you want to pursue a lose-Iose negotiation? Can we just skip to whatever number five is, win-win or whatever.
Win-win is number four.
And number five is win-win-win.
The important difference here is with win-win-win, we all win.
Me, too.
I win for having successfully mediated a conflict at work.
Okay.
So this is the disputed poster.
Now, one at a time, I want you to express your feelings, using "l" emotion language, and no judging or "you" statements.
I got this poster for Christmas and I feel I want to see it every day.
It makes me feel like the babies are the true artists, and God has a really cute sense of humor.
Come on.
Seriously, that? I don't like looking at it.
It's creepy and in bad taste, and it's just offensive to me.
It makes me think of the horrible, frigid stage mothers who forced the babies into it.
It's kitsch.
It's the opposite of art.
It destroys art, it destroys souls.
This is so much more offensive to me than hard-core porn.
Okay, okay, okay.
Stop.
Stop.
Stop.
Let's see if we can't just brainstorm and find some creative alternatives that are win-win.
Win.
Yes.
Thank you, Pam.
How about Angela makes the poster into a t-shirt, which Oscar wears.
That way he can never see it and whenever she looks at Oscar, she can see it.
Win-win-win.
No.
That's No.
Okay.
Well, brainstorm.
Own the solution.
How about I leave it up? How about she takes it down? How about Angela can keep it up on Tuesdays and Thursdays? Okay.
That is called a compromise.
And it is style three, and it is not ideal.
To sum up, win-win: Make the poster into a t-shirt.
Win-Iose: Take the poster down.
Compromise: Tuesdays and Thursdays.
And the answer is make the poster into a t-shirt.
Win-win.
Win.
Fine.
But It is done.
No, you're all good.
Great.
PAM: Hey, Angela.
I didn't have your zip code.
Oh.
Thanks.
It was hand-delivered.
But I did get a Save-the-Date after all.
It's not my taste.
You solved it? Yes.
Well, good.
We can throw that one out.
Are those all the other complaints? Mmm-hmm.
I would like to see those, please.
I can't do that.
You can't do that, huh? Okay.
Now you and I have a conflict.
I order you to give me that file.
That Okay.
There.
No more conflict.
I had to use win-Iose on that.
It was not pretty.
All right.
Is that it? It's all Dwight's.
Every Friday at 4:00 I have a standing appointment with Dwight for him to file a grievance against Jim.
I tell him that I'm sending them to a special file in New York.
That box is the special file in New York.
Oh, God.
All right.
Why do I have to do everything? PHOTOGRAPHER: Are you sure? Oh, he's sure.
Just shoot.
This is from Kevin.
He says Stanley uses his Miracle Whip without asking.
Meredith complains that everyone talks too loud in the morning and the lights are too bright.
Creed (MUTTERING) Creed is sick of looking at the redhead all day, and wants a seat facing the receptionist.
Nice.
You will notice that not one of these complaints is against me.
Actually, I have a separate folder for complaints against Michael.
This is January through March of this year.
How many of you have, at one time, gone to Toby to complain about another employee? And did you get what you wanted? Or were you merely listened to, you forget about your problem and you move on? ALL: (MUMBLING) Merely listened to and forgotten.
That is outrageous.
I love this place, and it pains me to see all of the negativity festering.
Okay.
Today we are going to get everything out of these files and into the open where it can be resolved.
All right.
How about the Phyllis-Angela dispute.
You already did me.
MICHAEL: That's what she said.
The thing is, Angela, you are in here an awful lot.
You have complained about everybody in the office, except Dwight, which is odd because everyone else has had run-ins with Dwight.
Toby, by the way, what does "redacted" mean? There is a file full of complaints in here marked "redacted"? Yeah.
It just means whoever complained came to me later and withdrew it.
So, I just took their name off.
Okay.
There were a bunch of complaints about Dwight that were put in the redacted file about six months ago.
Wait.
If someone has a problem with me, why would they withdraw it six months ago? Let's move on.
I volunteer.
Did anyone have a problem with me? All right.
Pamela! Come on down! Let's do it.
And Okay.
Just one complaint.
Actually, it has been withdrawn.
So that is no help to us.
Next! Wait.
What did it say? "Does she have to plan her wedding on office time?" "Shouldn't she do that at home?" MICHAEL: Who else? Why don't we just warm up first? Warm up emotionally.
All right? PAM: I have this kind of big secret about Angela.
And I've been really nice to her, and I haven't told anyone, and What the hell! Here is a Kelly complaint.
"Ryan never returns my calls.
" Join the club.
My voicemail's real spotty sometimes.
I didn't file a complaint.
I was just talking.
To your HR representative.
To my friend, I thought.
I want that withdrawn.
Fine.
I'll take your name off so no one will know.
Making progress.
Yes? Dwight tried to kiss me.
DWIGHT: What? And I didn't tell anyone 'cause I'm not really sure how I feel about it.
That is not true.
Redact it.
Redact it.
Well, I'm not actually making a formal complaint.
I just really think we should talk about it.
Okay.
Question.
When a name is withdrawn, does that also apply to the permanent misbehavior file in New York? Sure.
MICHAEL: Stanley, you got a lot of anger under there, buddy Hey, thanks for ratting me out.
I didn't do it.
I find that hard to believe, considering you have problems with every single person in this entire office except Bobblehead Joe.
Someone complained that the men's room is whites only.
Stanley, you know that's not true.
I didn't say that.
Then why is there a picture of a white man on the door.
Okay.
Phyllis, you complained that Angela is giving you dirty looks and you tried to get off the party-planning committee.
I never said any such thing.
Angela and I are close.
And, also, Phyllis, Stanley says that you cry too much and that that bugs him.
Stanley and I are close, too.
We sit close.
MICHAEL: Okay.
Just take it.
I can't believe Angela.
And I went against my better judgment and I gave her a Save-the-Date.
And now it turns out she complained about me to Toby.
Well, it was redacted.
Look, if she wants an invite, maybe she's just trying to be friends.
Don't take her side.
Well, what does Roy think about everything? I don't know.
I try not to bother him about this kind of stuff.
You mean, like your thoughts and feelings.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I know you keep saying it's your space even though there's no assigned parking, but I keep forgetting.
Yes, that's the problem.
I guess so.
Okay.
Well, all settled then.
I don't like you.
Okay.
Ryan, you told Toby that Creed has a distinct old man smell? I know exactly what he's talking about.
I sprout mung beans on damp paper towel in my desk drawer.
Very nutritious, but they smell like death.
All right, Kevin.
You are accused of making sexually suggestive remarks to Angela that made her feel uncomfortable.
Solution: Angela, you are to make sexually suggestive remarks to Kevin that will make him uncomfortable.
I accept your decision.
Hey, you know what, Dwight? Maybe we should get our photo ID taken together.
That doesn't make any sense.
Well, it saves time, you know.
'Cause we could just meet in the parking lot every morning, walk in together.
Perfect.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Smile.
No.
I never smile, if I can help it.
Showing one's teeth is a submission signal in primates.
When someone smiles at me, all I see is a chimpanzee begging for its life.
This came out really well.
There you go.
This is humongous.
I am not a security threat.
And my middle name is Kurt, not fart.
What did I write? I have another complaint for Jim's permanent file.
Talk to Michael.
I gave him the box.
What box? I didn't report your snoring Over here.
God, God, God! No! No! Four years of malfeasance unreported.
This cannot stand.
Okay.
Calm down.
No, you calm down.
Whose side is Toby on? Whose side are you on? Hey! Him or me? Him or me? I cannot work with Jim anymore.
Either he goes or I go.
Dwight.
Stop.
You choose! One of us is out of here by the end of today! Okay.
I am not bluffing.
Okay? Okay.
Yes.
Do the right thing here, Michael.
Okay.
I have served you loyally for years.
I deserve this.
You know I do.
You know, your ID says you're a security threat.
You have till 5:00.
(CLEARING THROAT) DWIGHT: Oh, look, Jim.
There's a sales manager position open in Stamford.
Want me to call Jan and tell her you're interested? I could put in a good word for you 'cause I'll still be working here.
Transfer.
Transfer.
Everybody! Transfer! Transfer! Transfer! Okay, you two.
In the conference room with me.
Nobody leaves until we work this out.
Cage match.
Cage matches? Yeah, they work.
How could they not work? If they didn't work, everybody would still be in the cage.
Okay.
So, Dwight, in your own words, "Someone replaced all my pens and pencils with crayons.
I suspect Jim Halpert.
"Everyone has called me Dwayne all day.
I think Jim Halpert paid them to.
" Yes.
5 bucks each and it was totally worth it.
"This morning I found a bloody glove in my desk drawer, "and Jim Halpert tried to convince me I committed murder.
"I think he may be the real murderer.
" "Jim Halpert said there was an abandoned infant in the women's room.
"When I went to save the child, I saw Meredith on the can.
" Gag.
"This morning, I knocked myself in the head with the phone.
" JIM: That actually took a while.
I had to put more and more nickels into his handset, till he got used to the weight.
And then I just took them all out.
"Every time I typed my name, it said diapers.
" Just a simple macro.
You know, these actually don't sound that funny, one after another.
But he does deserve it, though.
"By the end of the day, my desk was about two feet closer to the copier.
" Yeah.
I just moved it an inch every time he went to the bathroom.
And that's how I spent my entire day, that day.
MICHAEL: The Japanese have this thing called shiatsu massage, where they dig into your body very hard.
And it is very painful and, apparently, some people throw up.
But the next day they feel great.
I've never had one.
They sound awful.
Maybe Stamford would be cool.
It's a good market.
Higher volume.
Yeah.
Maybe we should both go.
I have a girlfriend.
Sure you do, Dwight.
Sure.
Hey.
There's, like, Let's get to them later.
So, are you going to transfer Jim or not? Maybe.
I haven't decided yet.
Let's get to work.
I want an answer by tomorrow.
Okay.
Actually, tomorrow's not good.
How about later in the week? Fine.
Good.
Okay.
Hey! Wait.
How about a group picture, while you're here? I can't.
I only get reimbursed for the ID photos.
Well, it's a computer camera, right? You mean digital? Yeah.
It'll take like two seconds.
(SIGHING) All right.
Everybody, come on! Group photo for the newsletter! You've gotta be kidding.
MICHAEL: Come on, everybody.
Come on.
Let's go.
Creed, Kevin, Oscar, andale! Let's go.
One, two, three, smile.
Try to smile.
We resolved a lot today, everybody.
Think happy thoughts.
All right, I'm just gonna take it on three, whether you smile or not.
One, two, three.
Good.
Let's check that out.
(MICHAEL EXCLAIMS IN DISGUST) Okay.
All right.
One more.
Take one more.
That'll be another $20.
What? Angela, I want to talk to you about something.
What? No, Pam.
I am.
It's about the Save-the-Date.
Pam, it wasn't her.
What? I'm the one who complained about you.
I didn't know that Toby was going to write it down.
MICHAEL: Good.
I was just venting.
Check that out.
You know, it was just It was one day.
MICHAEL: That's terrible.
I took it right back.
It was just like Okay.
Oh, dear.
Okay.
We can do this.
Come on, everybody.
All right.
Here we go.
MICHAEL: It was really hard getting a good picture of 15 people.
He would not give me a discount, and eight tries added up.
One, two Didn't say "three," did I? But I'm sort of an expert at Photoshop, so it turned out fine in the end.
When people work together, there is going to be conflict.
You can't outrun your problems.
Hey, Pam.
It's Jim.
I have a doctor's appointment in the city, so I probably won't be in till the late afternoon.
Just thought I'd let you know.
Okay, bye.
Okay, Jan will see you now.
Oh, thanks.
MICHAEL: And that is why the idea of a cage match is so universally appealing.
But here's the thing about cage matches, sometimes you have to open the cage.
And that is something that Toby will never understand.