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A Day in the Life of Alex Sander

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SITUATION
Alex Sander is a young and promising product manager in the Toiletries Division of Landon Care Products Inc. Over the past year, he has successfully rebranded two of Landon’s skin care products in the United States. Alex has created a winning enviornment at the Toiletries Division by applying very high standards to everyone, and often pushing his staff to the limits. A recent 360 degree review has revealed that Alex’s strong drive to succeed has come at a cost, as his staff are highly disenchanted by his iron-fisted ways. (Alex has since discounted the importance of the these findings.)

Sam Glass, Alex’s direct manager, is one of the three Product Group supervisors and is coordinating the 360 degree Performance/Feedback Review discussion with Alex. As part of the 360 process comments have been recorded from selected individuals higher and lower in the organizational hierarchy that the individual receiving the feedback. Sam is scheduled to have a discussion with Alex on his 360 process comments and has indicated a contradiction with the results and Alex’s self-assessment.

ANALYSIS
Alex Sander is described by his staff as a successful, but overly-critical, narcissistic, demanding and inconsiderate micro-manager. These attributes fit the Harvard Business Review Guide to Office Politics’ (Dillon 2013, p. 15) description of a “Control-Freak Boss”. With reference to the Guide, it must be understood that Alex is behaving in this manner not because he is evil. Firstly, Alex has little understanding of his role as a manager. Secondly, he lacks self awareness to question himself because of his success.

In the self review, Alex Sander admitted that he has a bad temper. Additionally, there was an incident whereby Alex had blown up at Betsy Garrison, the marketing department’s senior sales analyst, and 20-year veteran of the company, for her apparent lack

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