Alan Crone

How does this position fit into the mission of my company? What qualifications do I really need this person to have? How do they need to manifest those qualifications on a day-to-day basis to be successful? I tell people all the time, ask that question in an interview, and if you get a good answer, that's where you need to work. Again, I think lack of good confrontation.

How does this position fit into the mission of my company? What qualifications do I really need this person to have? How do they need to manifest those qualifications on a day-to-day basis to be successful? I tell people all the time, ask that question in an interview, and if you get a good answer, that's where you need to work. Again, I think lack of good confrontation.

People don't want to correct other people. They don't know how to go about it. And so if you haven't expressed those expectations correctly, that's one reason why people are hesitant to confront because they kind of realize either consciously or subconsciously, they really never told this person that whatever the part of this job is, is important.

People don't want to correct other people. They don't know how to go about it. And so if you haven't expressed those expectations correctly, that's one reason why people are hesitant to confront because they kind of realize either consciously or subconsciously, they really never told this person that whatever the part of this job is, is important.

I represented a man who was a 65-year-old black guy. We'll call him Jesse. Jesse had worked for this company for 30 years. It was not an upper-level position. He was kind of a supervisor, but very important for the company. He was supposed to be at the job at 8 o'clock, but for 30 years, he got to his job between 8.15 and 8.30, mainly because of the public transportation system in Memphis.

I represented a man who was a 65-year-old black guy. We'll call him Jesse. Jesse had worked for this company for 30 years. It was not an upper-level position. He was kind of a supervisor, but very important for the company. He was supposed to be at the job at 8 o'clock, but for 30 years, he got to his job between 8.15 and 8.30, mainly because of the public transportation system in Memphis.

Well, for years and years and years, nobody had said anything to Jesse. He had had an African-American supervisor. They all got along well. At one point, he got a new supervisor who happened to be white. This fellow noticed, well, Jesse's coming into work 15 to 30 minutes late every day. So basically, he went up to Jesse and said, look, you're late one more time, you're fired.

Well, for years and years and years, nobody had said anything to Jesse. He had had an African-American supervisor. They all got along well. At one point, he got a new supervisor who happened to be white. This fellow noticed, well, Jesse's coming into work 15 to 30 minutes late every day. So basically, he went up to Jesse and said, look, you're late one more time, you're fired.

Sure enough, the next day, he was 15 minutes late and he was fired. And Jesse came to my office and I said... why did they tell you that you were fired? And he said, well, it's because I was late. I said, what was the real, what do you think was the real reason you were fired? And he said, well, the only thing I can think of it is because I'm black.

Sure enough, the next day, he was 15 minutes late and he was fired. And Jesse came to my office and I said... why did they tell you that you were fired? And he said, well, it's because I was late. I said, what was the real, what do you think was the real reason you were fired? And he said, well, the only thing I can think of it is because I'm black.

I've been late for 30 years and nobody ever said a thing. Now I get a white supervisor and I'm fired. The facts of that you can argue with. And ultimately we settled the case, but it was a good illustration of this, this thing I have of confrontation. I'm not saying that being on time isn't important, but nobody had ever communicated that with Jesse. And rather than

I've been late for 30 years and nobody ever said a thing. Now I get a white supervisor and I'm fired. The facts of that you can argue with. And ultimately we settled the case, but it was a good illustration of this, this thing I have of confrontation. I'm not saying that being on time isn't important, but nobody had ever communicated that with Jesse. And rather than

sit down and talk to him about it and find out what was going on and maybe how they could change it. The guy just fired him. The supervisor thought that he was enforcing a standard. But what ended up happening is they lost an employee with 30 years of institutional knowledge and a lawsuit and a big settlement.

sit down and talk to him about it and find out what was going on and maybe how they could change it. The guy just fired him. The supervisor thought that he was enforcing a standard. But what ended up happening is they lost an employee with 30 years of institutional knowledge and a lawsuit and a big settlement.

Again, going back to expectations, let's say that you're going to hire an accountant or let's say you're going to hire a banker. You say, okay, I need a commercial banker. You find someone who's been in the commercial banking industry for 20 years. They got great reviews and you put them in just because they've been a successful commercial banker somewhere else.

Again, going back to expectations, let's say that you're going to hire an accountant or let's say you're going to hire a banker. You say, okay, I need a commercial banker. You find someone who's been in the commercial banking industry for 20 years. They got great reviews and you put them in just because they've been a successful commercial banker somewhere else.

Doesn't necessarily mean they're going to fit into your culture. Doesn't mean they're going to have your values. Doesn't mean that they have your priorities. And doesn't mean that they're going to do the job exactly the way you want it to be done. The hiring person has a vision of what it is to be a commercial banker.

Doesn't necessarily mean they're going to fit into your culture. Doesn't mean they're going to have your values. Doesn't mean that they have your priorities. And doesn't mean that they're going to do the job exactly the way you want it to be done. The hiring person has a vision of what it is to be a commercial banker.

The commercial banker has 20-year maybe experience of what he has been as a commercial banker. And for whatever reason, those don't align. Maybe the decision maker just says, you've been a commercial banker for 20 years. Don't you know? As opposed to, here's what we really need.

The commercial banker has 20-year maybe experience of what he has been as a commercial banker. And for whatever reason, those don't align. Maybe the decision maker just says, you've been a commercial banker for 20 years. Don't you know? As opposed to, here's what we really need.