Please provide a brief description of your interaction with the applicant and, if applicable, the applicant’s role in your organization.
As the CEO of Sabre Printer, I met Michael Scott during the post-acquisition integration of the Dunder Mifflin Scranton Branch. Michael was the co-manager of the branch at the time who soon took back his position as the sole manager with the years of experience he has had managing the branch. We didn't have a formal reporting structure but Michael was an indirect report, with most of the communications handled with a regional coordinator- Gabe Lewis, who did not have any formal authority over the operations of the branch; a dog can call itself a tiger but a tiger don't bark, does it?
How does the performance of the applicant compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples.
Having known multiple branch managers myself, Michael's leadership is more than extraordinary and it transcends the traditional mold of leadership in ways I can hardly put to words. Michael has one of the most talented and diverse employee pool with two Ivy League employees, a more gender balanced and ethnically diverse branch, and a non-traditional working style that makes them the best in the Scranton Market. Mr. Scott's years of experience is a testament to the fact that with sheer dedication, hard work and goodwill, one can create a culture that is impervious to setbacks. Here are some of the most unique situations Mr. Scott has shown extraordinary leadership in-
Printer fire crisis
During a major crisis instance where some of our printers had a software problem that led to overheating and eventually caught fire, before we could get the software patch sent, one of Mr. Scott's staff allegedly told this to the press and the news got out. Despite Mr. Scott's personal issues with his wife, an HR from Nashua branch -at the time of the incident, he showed composure in the time of crisis and took it upon himself to speak to the many members of the branch, realizing the gravity of the situation. This crisis doubled when he suspected that one of the branch employees did, in fact, inadvertently tell someone, who later turned out to be the former CFO. Realizing that these situations can cause a catastrophe, he decided to implement a strict security protocol in the office while providing psychological safety to the members so such a situation never arises again. Additionally, realizing that the damage cannot be undone, Mr. Scott made a public apology recall and staked his reputation to help company in the time of crisis. His composure, presence of mind, willingness to sacrifice and strength to push through despite personal turmoil make him what I can only call an experienced and seasoned professional.
Managing diversity
Mr. Scott's most overlooked skill would be how he manages diverse people in his branch. In a city that could use some of that, Michael somehow makes everyone feel welcome and heard. I have seen this myself on two instances. First, upon my arrival, one of the Warehouse workers, Daryl Philbin, came up with a system that allowed for seamless operational flow that revolutionized our delivery system. Mr. Scott was so proud of the man that he told him that they will put this plan on the fridge for everyone to see, showing a more family oriented work culture. Second, as an initiative to promote diversity with our print in all colors initiative, Mr. Scott's customer service rep, Kelly Kapoor stepped up and joined Yale University for minority executive training program, becoming the second Ivy League affiliated employee after Andy Bernard of Cornell University. To create a culture of inclusion and growth, Mr. Scott has left no stone unturned in making the employees feel heard so they can grow under his leadership. For it was only because of his leadership, we got such diverse group of people, each of whom has a special quality.
After Mr. Scott's departure, 4 different people tried to fill in his shoes and failed. I knew that no matter who joins the branch, this was no easy job as Mr. Scott had a unique working style that earned him the love and respect of his coworkers. Ultimately, we realized that it could only be one of the branch employees that could lead as Mr. Scott has trained and made each of them understand each other- like I said, a culture impervious to setbacks.
To define a culture, to manage people through crisis, to create an atmosphere of inclusion and diversity and to lead high performing teams cannot be a small feat and Mr. Scott deserves all the credit for it.
Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response.
In an attempt to teach his nephew some responsibility, Mr. Scott ended up giving the position of the summer intern to Luke, his nephew. This was fine as we do have an open internship application that kept the process fair. But, he is only human and ended up realizing that his nephew was dumber than a dummy- or so I told him about mine. The employees didn't get the work done as despite Mr. Scott's professional disciplinary procedures, Luke was not able to improve his performance until Mr. Scott made a non-traditional attempt to get Luke to Comply.
Upon seeing this situation, I spoke to Mr. Scott and let him know why I don't let my family work for me and the kinds of complications it can unveil in the process to mix the professional life with the personal one.
Mr. Scott took the response positively and spent the next week collaborating with Mr. Flenderson, our HR, trying to figure out a better way to manage the situation that has come up. Upon receiving Mr. Flenderson's report on the situational control, I was more than overjoyed because it seemed like Mr. Scott managed to turn things around in a small amount of time and the employees showed greater enthusiasm for the steps taken by Mr. Scott.
In such a complex situation that could have complicated the personal life of Mr. Scott even further, his attention to the feedback and to take active steps into improving that have shown me how he can be a force for his coworkers. Taking people's perspectives, understanding what will change the attitude of the employees and turning around the dynamic show his emotional intelligence and presence of mind.
I believe Mr. Scott may have flaws much like everyone else, but his willingness to improve can make him more than an employee, it makes him a leader that can become better everyday!
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