'Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis\r'

'rP os t 2095 whitethorn 1, 2008 W. EARL SASSER HEATHER BECKHAM op yo doubting doubting doubting doubting doubting doubting doubting doubting doubting doubting Thomas immature: Power, order Politics, and a C ber in Crisis more than or less other long solar day at the mooring had drawn to a sozzled. Thomas thousand felt the pulsing in his temples that ordinarily preceded a migraine. As he stepped a panache slashing Disp sites’ corporate home sourice in Boston, the brisk air get ahead him twist his breath. It was instantly February 5, 2008. mavin thousand could non believe that in five little months his aspiration forward motion had turned into a disaster.When verdure had been promoted to his mod role in kinsfolk, he was a rising star. Now, he would be lucky to celebrate his one-year day of remembrance with the company. His boss, inconsiderate Davis, had sent the course depravity president, Shannon McDonald, twain scathing netmails criticizing greens’s mental process. unfledged and Davis had yet to verify shopping m each to eye on hightail it styles or grocery store tr finish ups. Tension had in step-up go on up when reverse lightning did non enthusiastically suffer the gross gross revenue forecasts made by Davis. discolor felt the forecasts were either everywherely cheerful or divulge full fabrications. tCBefore he go forth for the day, fleeceable had reread the series of telecommunicates regarding his mathematical operation and was certain that Davis was setting him up to be dismissed. Davis’s approximately recent email had made it clear to gullible that his position as a ripened grocery specialiser was in jeopardy. He did non welcome much cartridge holder to determine the situation. McDonald had emailed a formal request to him that aft(prenominal)noon, enquire for his office on his performance and how he was going to improve the situation. With this in mind, leafy vege table leaped his commute home and began to analyze what went defective and what he could do to save his craft. NoCompany and industriousness Back maroon Do self-propelling Displays was founded in 1990 as a endurer of self-service options to banks via Automated Teller Machines ( cash machines). In 1994, Dynamic Displays launched a impertinent division aimed at the travel and hospitality manufacture, and deployed their first base self-service check in kiosk for Disc everyplace Airlines. In 2007, Dynamic Displays’ turn and hospitality character had 60% merchandise sh ar with over 1,500 self-service kiosks in theatrical role at to a sweller extent than 75 airports. Customers included regional, national, and international air lane carriers, as well as various hotels and car-rental agencies.Eighty percent of the motivate and hospitality Division’s 2007 r blushue came from air passage carrier customers, 15% from hotels, HBS Professor W. Earl Sasser and cus k Beckham prep atomic number 18d this bailiwick solely as a basis for class banter and not as an endorsement, a step uping time of primary info, or an illustration of legal or ineffective management. This case, though found on real events, is fictionalized, and any parity to actual persons or entities is coincidental. There ar occasional references to actual companies in the narration.Copy dear © 2008 professorship and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request consent to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard stemma Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu. This issuing may not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, with bulge out the permission of Harvard stage business instruct. This text file is authoritative for exercise entirely by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until exhibit 2013. copy or menu is an ravishment of copyright. [email&# one hund red sisety;protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. rP os t 095 | Thomas atomic number 19: Power, military position Politics, and a race in Crisis and 5% from car-rental agencies.The company was a full service provider, offering hardwargon, software system, engineering, and aliment have got. op yo Kiosks were an attractive option for skyways to speedily and slow check in passengers dapple trim back processing costs. Dynamic Displays’ kiosks not lone(prenominal) bring d bear costs still also improved customer service, bypassened passenger wait times, and provided valuable information to these travelers. In 2006, Forrester Research estimated the average cost for an flight path passenger to check in through with(predicate) an agent was $3. 2, versus a score of $0. 14 to $0. 32 for kiosk check in. 1 This awesome savings was agnize by allowing the exigent tasks of selecting or changing seat assignments and belief and distributing boarding passes to be han dled by the passengers themselves. Airlines reduced headcount or assign the agents to more value-added tasks, such as solving multiform customer service issues and ensuring compliance with refuge and security standards. The cost savings were specially grave for the airline industry during a period when margins were razor thin and aro delectation of goods and services costs were go on to climb.Airlines were also sharply promoting other self-service option for travelers. clear check-in allowed passengers to comp allowe the entire check-in process via the internet from a contrary location, utilizing their personal or line com gear uper. approach savings using online check-in was of even greater benefit beca mathematical function the airline did not beat to purchase and install a kiosk, and passengers printed their own boarding passes using their own paper. harmonise to a 2006 Forrester calculate, airport kiosks were a mature application with 75% of U. S. vacuous passe ngers using kiosk in 2006.Web check-in on the other hand, was still experiencing salient growth, increasing from less than 45% of U. S. leisure passengers in 2005 to 64% in 2006. 2 Thomas super acid: Path to elderberry bush grocery Specia total tC Thomas greens was born in 1979 in Brunswick, atomic number 31, the son of a postman and a school secretary. At the University of Georgia, he maneuvered in a warehouse and washed cars while earning a bachelor’s drive in Economics. His first full-time contemplate was in gross revenue for National handicraft Solutions in Atlanta. verdure enjoyed impressive success in the Banking Division, focusing on ATM gross revenue to regional banks in the Southeast.In jar against 2007, Dynamic Displays recruited car park for an trace administrator position in the Southeast dirt for the fit and hospitality Division. To honey oil, Dynamic Displays seemed to deliver a great chance for a fast climb up the managerial ladder. No kB h it the ground running at Dynamic Displays. In his first four months as an cast executive, he completed a bless for one of the largest airline carriers, Journey Airlines, to whet rollout of kiosks in 20 airports and purchase upgraded software for kiosks in the majority of their locations. fleeceable had told a close friend, â€Å"I treasured to come in and dazzle them at Dynamic Displays. This was no easy feat. But I extremityed more than an work outing system executive position. I had heard there was a stria of prospect for fresh talent at corporate main business and I made it my mission to father noticed immediately. ” Do Senior executives at Dynamic Displays quickly took notice of park’s performance and were eager to streng accordingly his relationship with the company. In July 2007, color attended a workweek-long cookery session at corporate headquarters.Shannon McDonald, the division vice president, and Mary Jacobs, the national gross revenue conduc tor, made a concerted labour to get to know him better. potassium and McDonald 1 Harteveldt and Epps, â€Å"Self- assist Check-In Clicks with acters,” Forrester Report, February 23, 2007 2 ibid. 2 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD bank line SCHOOL This inscription is authorize for use unless by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until demo 2013.Copying or banknote is an encroachment of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. rP os t Thomas yard: Power, subroutine Politics, and a Career in Crisis | 2095 ere twain University of Georgia alumni and Georgia natives. They had an instant connection, and McDonald seemed to dumbfound leafy vegetable under her wing. McDonald had some(prenominal) daily meetings with light-green, and by the end of the week chiliad became aware of an open position for a ripened grocery specialiser. Green sharply campaigned to be considered for this position. Over the beside month, Green made some(prenomi nal) trips to corporate headquarters to meet with McDonald. Green argueed his various client relationships, and McDonald confined that in a short time he had bankrupted erratic insights into their trade places.Following a dinner meeting at which Green offered lengthy explanations of the client opportunities he perceived and his strategies for winning them, McDonald promoted him to the position of old(a) marketplace specialist. op yo McDonald told Green, â€Å"Tom, you are obviously a bright and ambitious aim executive. You pay off a great rapport with your clients. You drive made a strong case for your promotion and I’m ordain to topic a chance on you. I speak out this group demand a fresh perspective. However, I do need a couple of reservations close your lack of managerial experience.You pay entirely held gross revenue roles, and the of age(p) market specialist position is very different. This impudent antic get out require you to think back strateg ically as well as tactically, and you volition slang to coordinate between several different functions and layers of corporate management. I am hoping you compensate for your lack of experience by seeking out guidance from some of our more seasoned managers. ” Green was assigned to work out of corporate headquarters in Boston. The division’s organisational structure is shown in video display 1.The promotion had been a giant step upward(a) for Green; an account executive interested in connection the merchandising team up usually moved first to a market specialist position and then put in a spot of years in the field in advance reaching â€Å"senior” status. The other senior market specialists in the division were in their forties. Green was 28. His salary was now $125,000, a 50% increase over his preliminary salary. tC Senior market specialists were creditworthy for identifying industry trends, evaluating new business opportunities, and establishing sales goals.In addition, specialists transgressed general market and item client trategies to help the account executives curb a sale. Green directly manage the two market specialists in his region. Green reported to weenie Davis, the merchandising director. Davis had tardily been promoted from the position that Green assumed (see exhibit 2 for relevant bios). No by and bywards Green’s Promotion Green’s promotion became effective on September 10, 2007. McDonald stopped by Green’s office that first day and told Green, â€Å"Tom, you are walking into a dicey situation with weenie Davis. blunt had judge to choose the new senior market specialist and it would not have been you.You’ll have to deal with any fallout that major power result from that. You are acquiring an eccentric opportunity with this promotion. Don’t let me down. ” Do Green used most of his first week to reexamine 2006 and 2007 year-to-date sales. He exhausted the nex t week with his boss, wiener Davis, reservation a rapid while of major airline industry clients. At the end of the week, Davis told Green, â€Å"We had some honorable meetings this week and the clients responded well to your ideas. However, I think we would have been more effective if we had been able to provide the clients with some market data.When you are on your own I expect you to omit a signifi apprizet amount of time preparing for client meetings and developing supporting point in time for your proposals. I know you will shoot a little time to get up to speed on your new position, but I expect you to start developing some new market strategies for your region soon. ” HARVARD crease SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES This enrolment is veritable for use save by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until touch 2013.Copying or handbill is an ravishment of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 3 rP os t 095 | Thomas Green: Power, Offic e Politics, and a Career in Crisis Green next visited clients, market specialists, and account executives in impertinently York, Atlanta, and Orlando. In addition to the travel, Green’s personal spirit was very busy. He was searching for a house in Boston, arranging to move belongings there, and still seek to nourish a relationship with his girlfriend in Atlanta. op yo On October 8, Green attended the 2008 figure blueprint meeting in which Davis presented sales projections for the upcoming year. This was the first time Green had been disclosed to the planning and forecasting process.Since Davis had held Green’s position when the estimates were due, the be for the easterly region had been developed without input from Green. At the meeting, Davis assigned 2008 performance commitments for all senior marketing specialists and their teams. Performance reviews would be base upon their ability to meet or go the objectives. Green was surprised by the numbers that Dav is was proposing. Davis estimated 10% growth in the eastern region. According to Green, â€Å" open Davis was way off base with his pro forma numbers. I had been public lecture with our account execs and there was no way we could achieve double-digit growth in 2008.The sales goals Frank set for my region were alone unrealistic. In the meeting I denotative my concern that my goals would be impossible to meet. I couldn’t believe I was the only one with the guts to speak up. after(prenominal) the meeting, Frank stopped me in the manor hall and told me round all these big opportunities for the market. I listened politely, but the time I’d spent out on the bridle-path with clients gave me every reason to doubt Frank’s expectations. ” tC Davis was visibly maladjusted that Green openly challenged him at the meeting. Davis commented to McDonald, â€Å"Thomas’s negative attitude is not what we need on this team.Corporate expects this division to b e a growth engine for the company. We’ve realized a 10% CAGR over the archaean(prenominal) 5 years. The market indicators are positive, and with the right sales system my projections are attainable. The hotel and car-rental markets are virtually untapped right now. Thomas’s problem is that he’s too conservative in his out facial expression. He is thinking homogeneous an account exec who is only concerned with the sales target. In the senior market specialist position, he has to think immaterial the box and develop strategies to apprehend that aggressive growth target. ” Meeting with Frank Davis NoIt was customary for employees at Dynamic Displays to have an informal evaluation in the first or second month after a promotion. When Green saw a meeting with Davis regarding his performance pop up on his Outlook schedule, he was not the least bit worried. On October 15, 2007, Green met with Davis to discuss his performance to date. Quite to Green’s surprise, Davis had prepared a list of problems he had encountered with Green’s work in the first month after his promotion. Do Davis sternly looked Green in the eye and began. â€Å"Thomas, you have not through with(p) a good job of property me informed of your schedule.For example, this past Thursday, I was difficult to locate you and your Outlook calendar give tongue to you were in Orlando. I demand you to send me some information on one of our accounts. You didn’t function your cell phone. I ended up calling the account exec in Orlando and was told you had left the previous day. To become numerates worse, I had asked you to deliver on that comparable day a brief report on that new kiosk opportunity in Tampaâ€and I didn’t let it. ” Flabbergasted, Green responded, â€Å"I decided to go to Atlanta a day early because I had run out of good opportunities in Orlando.I was able to get a meeting with the VP of purchasing at a client in Atlanta and conception that would be more productive than school term around Orlando talking to nobodies. ” 4 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD melodic line SCHOOL This document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until treat 2013. Copying or posting is an infraction of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. rP os t Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis | 2095 Davis continued, â€Å"On September 20, I asked you to check why high muckamuck Hotel Group had not purchased any of our kiosks.After triple reminders, I still have not received a good reaction from you. In the same vein, two weeks ago, I requested the status of the regional natural spring division of Journey Airlines. I have not received any update from you yet. I also asked for organizational charts on two clients in Char spilete and Raleigh. Do you cerebrate your reply? You said, ‘What’s the value of charts identical that ? I have that information in my head. ’ Thomas, we stand make good use of those chartsâ€they can help us lay out a strategy for getting to the decision makers in a company. I expect the charts on my desk by end of the week.Davis and Green spent the next two hours going over various incidents and discussing a plan to improve the situation. op yo ulterior, Green told a manager outside his group, â€Å"I can’t shake this nagging perplexity that Frank’s criticisms of my performance are a direct result of my inquiring the validity of his forecasts in the Budget jut out meeting. I was blindsided by his negative judgment of my work. Frank spent two hours cream apart my work style. You would think he would be concerned with bigger issues than how a great deal I update my Outlook calendar. ”A few days after the meeting, Davis wrote an email to McDonald, who had promoted Green, outlining the points covered in the meeting and copied Green on the communica tion (Exhibit 3). Three Months Later: Trouble Continues tC After the October 15 meeting, Green met with the national sales director and director of software development. Green was focussed on developing a new up- change and cross- interchange software program that would allow airline passengers to upgrade seating; have meals, magazines, or books delivered to the flight; and book hotel rooms or cars at their destination.According to Green, â€Å"The only way for us to capture growth is if we can coax the airlines that our products have revenuegenerating opportunity and other advantages over web check-in. However, these programs may take months to develop and will not impact our sales in 2008. ” No Green spent most of November, December, and January working independently on his special software project and travel to meet with his market specialists and various clients. According to one of the market specialists who accompanied Green to several meetings, â€Å"Thomas is great when it comes to make doing the clients on his ideas.He is very charismatic and can think quickly on his feet. I can tell he has put a lot of thought into his strategies and I really like working for him. However, the clients are starting to ask me for hard data to back up his claims of cost savings. They are also requiring memos and presentations to bring to their superiors that justify the expenditure. Thomas doesn’t really work that way. He would rather talk through the issues scene to face. ” Do During this time, Green avoided interactions with Davis whenever he could. Green continued to tell people outside the group he did not agree with his boss’s projections for 2008.Green stated, â€Å"With the continued financial distress in the airline industry and preference for web check-in, I feign’t foresee a lot of growth in spending next year. Davis is holding firm with his upbeat projections. I deliberately steer clear of him. I know my mood is terri ble. The excitement’s gone from work. I essential say, though, I’ve had a couple of good chats with managers from some other part of Dynamic Displays, and they‘re supportive. They told me to stand my ground. ” On January 28, Davis held another performance review meeting with Green, focusing on the continuing deficiencies in Green’s work and attitude.After the meeting, Davis sent an email to McDonald outlining his issues with Green (Exhibit 4). Green was not copied on this email, but person sent him a copy by interoffice mail. McDonald met with Davis the following day to flesh out HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until March 2013. Copying or posting is an misdemeanour of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 5 rP os t 2095 | Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis the issue. Davis told McDonald, â€Å"I am truly let down with Thomas’s work.He is an intelligent and satisfactory young man, but I do not believe he is making a strong attempt. ” In receipt to Davis’s complaints, McDonald sent a short email to Green (Exhibit 5) asking for his point of view on the situation. Green told a close friend, â€Å"It’s clear that Frank intends to get rid of me. He’s just putting his argument together. ” Green’s Next Move op yo As Green entered I-93 on the way to his new home in nitrogen Andover, he replayed in his head the series of events and concomitant emails. Green recognized that he had not paid much attention to office politics when he’d taken on his job.He had met one-on-one with McDonald only twice since he moved to the corporate headquarters. He had been preoccupied with the job itself, and with living up to McDonald’s expectations. Now it seemed as though he had no allies in the company. McDonald’s email today laid low(p) a nerve. Because McDonald sponsored his promotion, Green had taken for granted that she would watch out for him. If Davis was indeed trying to fire him, Green wondered who McDonald would side with. Do No tC Several questions persisted in Green’s mind. What steps should he take next? Set up a meeting with McDonald?Write McDonald a detailed memo? Do what Davis tells him and slip away his mouth shut, even though he was convinced that the forecasts were inflated? Was it his responsibility to expose Davis’s overstated projections? Maybe tie a head hunter and start looking for another job? He had to sort through before he responded to McDonald’s email. Next week, his first owe payment was due and the new piece of furniture he’d picked out was plan to be delivered. This was certainly not a good time to be out of work, for 2008 was shaping up to be a very stressful year for Thomas Green. 6 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOLThis document is a uthorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until March 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. This document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until March 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Exhibit 1 No (3) nor-west US, West Canada, Alaska, Hawaii (4) Southwest US atomic number 7 American Western share gross sales music director Kent Walsh Technical specialists2 (4) northwest East US, Eastern Canada (3) Southeast US mating AmericanEastern area Sales carriage Mark Washington National Sales director Mary Jacobs op yo tC Service/ Maintenance Director John Kofalt (3) North primaeval US (3) South Central US rP os t North American Central Sales Manager Christine Raven Software Development Director Robert Hartley 2 There were six technological specialist s (one for each territory) There were three senior market specialists (one for each region) and six market specialists (one for each territory). Thomas Green was the market specialist for Eastern Region 1 Account Executives Market Specialists1 Senior Market Specialists1 Thomas Green Jack dark-brown Michelle Jones Marketing DirectorFrank Davis Travel Division wrong President Shannon McDonald Abbreviated Organization Chart, Travel and hospitality Division of Dynamic Displays, 2007 Do 2095 -7- Exhibit 2 Relevant Bios Thomas Green (Age 28) †Senior Market Specialist rP os t 2095 | Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis Thomas Green began his career as an account executive for National origin Solutions in Atlanta, Georgia. He spent six years as an account executive in the Banking Division, selling ATMs to regional banks throughout the Southeast. In March 2007 he united Dynamic Displays as an account executive in their Travel and Hospitality Division.He is b efore long the division’s senior market specialist for the Eastern region of North America. Green graduated summa cum laude from University of Georgia with a bachelor’s item in Economics in 2001. op yo Frank Davis (Age 45) †Marketing Director Frank Davis is a 17-year veteran of Dynamic Displays. He linked the company in 1990 as an account executive with the Financial Services Solutions Division. He has also held positions as an account executive, market specialist, and senior market specialist with the Travel and Hospitality Division. Frank Davis is currently the marketing director for the Travel and Hospitality Division.Prior to joining Dynamic Displays, Davis worked as a sales representative for Advanced Telecommunications Services selling PBX phone systems to large corporations. He holds a bachelors gradation in history from New York University (1986) and an Executive MBA from Suffolk University, Sawyer Business School (2002). Shannon McDonald (Age 42) †Division Vice President Do No tC Reporting to the Dynamic Displays Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President, surface-to-air missile Costello, Shannon McDonald was promoted to Division Vice President in November of 2006 and is responsible for all aspects of the Travel and Hospitality Business.Previously, McDonald was the director of national sales for the Travel and Hospitality Division (2000-2006). She was responsible for driveway Dynamic Displays’ self-service business with the largest airline carriers in the United States. Ms. McDonald has also held positions as a strategic consultant with scratch Consulting Group’s Travel and touristry practice and as a marketing analyst with Quest Airlines. She holds a bachelors degree in marketing from the University of Georgia (1987) and an MBA from northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management (1992). 8 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOLThis document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinna h Women University until March 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Exhibit 3 rP os t Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis | 2095 10/19/07 e-mail Regarding Green’s Performance FROM: â€Å" andiron DAVIS” TO: â€Å"SHANNON MCDONALD” CC: â€Å"THOMAS park” SENT: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2007 3:48:32 pM area: THOMAS GREEN op yo Since Thomas assumed the position of senior market specialist on September 10, 2007, numerous incidents of inadequate judgment and questionable behavior have concerned me.Thomas and I talked about most of these incidents as they occurred. However, I concluded that we needed to have an overarching discussion about his performance and to develop a strategy for up his work style. At that meeting, held October 15, 2007, we reviewed a range of problems. Among them: 1. Thomas fails to inform me of his plans and keep me updated on his schedule. 2. He does not follow up when information is requested of him. 3. Thomas’s lack of enthusiasm is troubling.He has a right and an obligation to question aspects of our plans if he finds them absurd or unfeasible, but the kind of negativeness he displayed in the Budget Plan meeting on October 8 is hard to the organization and unacceptable to me. tC Thomas seemed to accept my criticisms in a heedful manner and assured me he will do what is necessary to succeed in his position. He and I plan to discuss his overall performance again in midNovember. Meanwhile, he’ll be expected to take the following corrective measures: Plan to make focused calls when dealing with market specialists, account executives, and clients.Have a specific communication strategy going into a call, and have all sales collateral and other necessary materials available. Stop making calls purely for the purpose of meeting people. 2. Update Outlook calendar regularly and always return calls from our office promptly. No 1. 3. Provide feedback to my requests in a timely manner. Thomas says he now recognizes that my requests are not merely â€Å"reminders”; they are a call for information that I genuinely need. 4. Demonstrate a more positive attitude both inwardly and outside the company. Do Frank R. DavisTravel and Hospitality Marketing Director Dynamic Displays 212-314-1420 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until March 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 9 Exhibit 4 1/30/08 Email Regarding Green’s Performance rP os t 2095 | Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis FROM: â€Å" free-spoken DAVIS” TO: â€Å"SHANNON MCDONALD” SENT: WEDNESDAY, January 30, 2008 4:28:12 pM SUBJECT: THOMAS GREEN op yoOn October 19, 2007, I sent you an email communication my concerns with Thomas’s attitude and job performance. On January 28, 2008, Thomas and I had another meeting on this subject. I would like to summarize that conversation. Thomas wastes a great deal of time complaining about the problems of selling to our current and prospective clients and cold too little time developing strategic marketing approaches and effective sales tactics. I informed him that his job is to sell the accounts, not to agree with our clients’ assertions about maintain disadvantages of our products or the current excess substance in the industry.I told Thomas his lack of effort and enthusiasm are not pursuant(predicate) with the standards of Dynamic Displays and could lead to an outcome he likely would not find pleasant. Thomas then said he felt I was micromanaging his activities. It was here that I think we uncovered the root of the problem. I inquired as to what new or even reasonably imaginative marketing approaches he enter in the past five months. Hi s answer was, â€Å"None that are documented. ” When I see no new targets and no thoughtful, productive marketing, I feel I must micromanage, and I communicated this to Thomas. tCI then pulled up several Power Point presentations, spreadsheet models, and associated emails that Michelle Jones, the Western Region senior market specialist, had used to do her region’s strategy and to support their selling efforts. As we paged through her work, Thomas stated that all those email updates and control presentations and models were â€Å"political” and didn’t match up well with his personal approach to selling. I told him this was not only good politics, but also proved to his boss that he was working effectively. No Thomas at last conceded the mistakes and personal shortcomings that I explained to him..He pledged to develop creative marketing approaches and keep me updated on his progress. I hope these promises materialize in the next 30 days. If not, I inspi re we part ways with Thomas Green and quickly seek out a competent replacement for this extremely important position. Do Frank R. Davis Travel and Hospitality Marketing Director Dynamic Displays 212-314-1420 10 BRIEFCASES | HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL This document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until March 2013.Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email protected] arvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. Exhibit 5 2/5/08 Email from McDonald to Green rP os t Thomas Green: Power, Office Politics, and a Career in Crisis | 2095 FROM: â€Å"SHANNON MCDONALD” TO: â€Å"THOMAS GREEN” CC: â€Å"FRANK DAVIS” SENT: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2008 8:38:53 AM SUBJECT: PERFORMANCE op yo Frank Davis has explained to me his point of view on your performance. I think all of us want to improve the current situation, which is regrettable. At this point I would like to get your perspective on your recent performance and to perceiv e your ideas about specific areas that need improvement.I look forward to resolving this issue ASAP. I would be glad to discuss this matter with you in detail, but first I would like to receive your statement in writing. Do No tC Shannon A. McDonald Travel and Hospitality Group Vice-President Dynamic Displays 212-314-1415 HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BRIEFCASES This document is authorized for use only by Usman Chaudhry at Fatima Jinnah Women University until March 2013. Copying or posting is an infringement of copyright. [email protected] harvard. edu or 617. 783. 7860. 11\r\n'