The Case of the Overbearing Leader
As the Director of Student Orientation, you are responsible for welcoming all 3,000 new students to your campus every fall . It's a pretty large undertaking, and would never be possible without the help of the Orientation Leadership Team . This team is made up of a Steering Committee of 15 students, and another 150 New Student Mentors who each oversee a small group of about 20 new students . Because you receive over 300 applicants every year for the Student Mentor position, you need to do two rounds of hiring . The first round is meant to trim the group to around 200 leaders; the second round finishes the process and gets you to the final 150 Mentors .
This year, Saja, the son of a close family friend, is applying to be a Mentor . After the first round of interviews, it becomes apparent to everyone on the Steering Committee that Saja is a bad fit for the job . He comes across as overly opinionated, slow to hear other people's ideas, and everyone has doubts that he would help to make new students feel welcome in the fall . His parents have always raised him to have an opinion and share it and his driven personality will serve him well when he becomes a lawyer . However, everyone agrees that he needs to become a bit more well-rounded before he's ready to serve as a mentor for new students, and they all agree that there are other leadership opportunities that could be a better fit for his personality and skill set .
They want to cut him after the first round of interviews, but you keep thinking about his parents . They're your close friends and you're already dreading the conversation with them about why he wasn't hired . That conversation will be much harder if you need to explain why he wasn't even good enough to make it to the second round of interviews . You've never had a solid line of 200 moving on and have let marginal candidates though to the second round in the past . It wouldn't be too difficult to let Saja go on to the next round of interviews before cutting him and telling him he needs another year to grow . However, none of the Steering Committee will agree with you, so it would need to be an executive decision that you ask them to accept .
> Would you let Saja move on to the second round of interviews?
If Saja really is not fit for the job, and not fit enough for the second round of interviews, I would have to cut him then. If he is really your friend I think he should be able to accept and understand. Also his ideas are not fit for this kind of mentorship, they will benefit him more when he is a lawyer.
ReplyDeleteNo, I wouldn't let Saja move on if he isn't ready for the job then he doesn't deserve to move on. Yes, it would be hard being friends with his parents but I would talk to his parents about why he isn't moving on and then they could help him to improve and change so he could have a better chance next year.
ReplyDeleteIf it was that obvious that he was not ready and not fit for the job I do not think that I would have him in the second round. I think that I would probably talk to h and say that he is just not what we are looking for this year but to keep working because he has a really good chance next year if the keeps improving.
ReplyDeleteIf Saja really is bad for the job, and not good enough for the second round of interviews. If he is really best pal I think he should be able to accept and understand what unevidentably is her replacement. Also his ideas are not suitable for this kind of mentorship, he will make a better blood sucking parasite of lawyer.
ReplyDeleteShe is very bad at the job and does not need to go to her second thing of interviews I would tell him to take a hike but hes your friend and he will hoply will be fine and leave and they will be friends because he does not work to do good and apply himself to the job instead of having a good work ethic
ReplyDeleteSaja is clearly not ready for a mentorship. You should cut him so you do not have trouble in the end and and end up cutting him anyway. You can tell him to try again next time after he gains more experience. Talk to his parents about it openly and tell them exactly how they feel about the situation if they ask.
ReplyDelete