50 Case Studies for Management and Supervisory Training

23

Case 5

“Looney Tunes on Parade”:

Part 2—Kicking into Gear

Background Information

Peter Gilmore, manager, hired David Randle in July 1987, to supervise the Pricing

Unit of Republic Insurance Corporation’s Strategic Management Division. The

Pricing Unit conducted important studies about the competitive posture of Repub-

lic’s various policy products. Once David was hired, Peter delegated assignments to

David often and easily. Peter expected these assignments to be completed and

returned on a timely basis, although he did not check on progress during the

interim.

Flares in the Night

In December 1987, six months after he was hired, things still seemed to be going

smoothly for the new supervisor of the Pricing Unit, David Randle—at least on the

surface. Nonetheless, Peter Gilmore was feeling uneasy. As he later put it: “It was

nothing I could put my finger on exactly. I just didn’t feel comfortable trusting

him.” In fact, Peter had been receiving some information about David that was

giving him some cause for concern.

One source of this information was supervisor Sandi Bates. Sandi, David

Randle’s counterpart in the Budgets Unit, also reported to Peter Gilmore. It became

clear not long after David was hired that he and Sandi simply did not get along.

Peter was not too concerned, feeling the problem was just a difference in personali-

ties. There were periodic flashes of anger and occasional back-biting. Finally, in

January, Peter lost his patience and told the two of them: “I don’t want this fighting

anymore. You two work out your differences and get this squabbling resolved.”

In early March, Sandi asked to see Peter privately. She told him that she had tried

to resolve these problems, but with little success. She also told him that David was

“screwing up” some of the projects Peter had given him. Peter asked David about

these “screw-ups” a few days later. David conceded that he had been having some

difficulties because of family problems. Peter took him at his word, but still felt

uneasy.

In mid-March, a second matter of concern developed. The source of this concern

was David’s new sideline venture: a mail-order supply business that he had started

with his brother-in-law in February. David would occasionally solicit other employ-

ees in the headquarters’ office for orders. Peter was amused at first, but in mid-

March, employees started calling his office to complain that David was not filling

their orders.

By April, 10 months after David had started with Republic, Peter was definitely

bothered by David. He wondered to himself: “What’s going on here? Is Randle too

busy, or is he incompetent, or what? Something just isn’t right.”

50 Case Studies for Management and Supervisory Training

24

Case 5 (continued)

To deal with this concern, he talked with David and asked the supervisor to com-

plete a long self-assessment form he had picked up at a conference a few years ear-

lier. It contained a list of skills for accountants in project management. The person

completing the assessment rated his or her current skill levels on a scale of 1 to 7.

Peter wanted David to identify any job performance weaknesses he might have and

to start improving them.

David filled out the form and told Peter that the assessment was very helpful and

that he could see performance areas he needed to improve immediately. Sure

enough, Peter seemed to notice some improvement in David’s work during the next

few weeks.

CASE QUESTIONS

1. What was happening at this point?

2. What should Peter Gilmore do at this point?