The Underperformer Calvin laughed. He said, "Oh, I mean it. On some level Calvin Brooks rushed toward his desk, frantically look that it has become absolutely painful to do. I must have at least. But this analysis has been dragging on for so long ing around him. As he slipped off his jacket and turned on his laptop, he said to the woman in the next cubicle, "Hey. sick of it. I know he'll expect it to be perfect since it has stared at the data for 20 hours over the last few days. I'm Marcie. Nick hasn't been around here, has he?" Marcie finished what she was typing and then looked taken so much time, so now I just want to get it over with." up and said. "Actually, he has already been by looking for "Everybody wants that, Cal. So do it already." you. Cal. He looked pretty mad when he couldn't find your email. I was waiting to hear from a couple of people." Cal nodded. "I will. Today. First, just let me check my It wasn't the best day to come in a little late." Calvin and Marcie Finnegan were junior software en- Serial Procrastination gineers working on the same project at WE Connections. Both in their twenties, they had joined the company six Marcie shook her head, annoyed. That's always where you months prior, straight out of school. start. Email leads you to Instagram, where you stay until Cursing under his breath. Cal remarked, "Man. I was break. When you come back. you make a couple of calls, hoping he would be tied up with other things, and not then it's lunch time. In the afternoon, you walk around thinking about my stuff. I'm still not done the analysis he looking busy, but really just chatting with people. No won- asked for." der you never get your work done, Cal. You are a serial She shrugged. "You've got to know he isn't going to for procrastinator." get. That report was due a week ago. The man is tired of Offended, Cal said, "Hey! What's with you? Why are waiting. Why don't you just finish the dang thing? you on my back all of a sudden? You're not my boss." "I meant to. Other things keep coming up. I'll definitely She replied, "That's true. But I'm on this project, too. finish it today." Calvin nodded determinedly. And whenever someone doesn't do their part, it hurts other One of Marcie's eyebrows went up. "You've said that people. Paula needs your analysis to write some code. And every day for the last week. I'm starting to doubt that you I need that code for what I'm doing next. Now you're going really mean it." to be messing me up." Cal made a face. "C'mon. Who are you trying to kid? You're not sitting here twiddling your thumbs waiting for me. You have lots of work to do." he likes me. I'll be fine. That reminds me. I'm going to have to take a quick peek at my email. Someone said they were going to send me a funny golfing video. If it's good, I'll send it to Nick. He loves that kind of thing. That'll get him in a good mood again." Domino Effect you Marcie replied angrily, "What do you know about my workload? I have a work plan, and when someone like doesn't do what they're supposed to, my plan goes out the window. And when you make me late. I'm making some- one else late. Sure, it's true that I have lots to do. But the part you're holding up is important, and I sure as heck don't want to spend the next few weekends working nonstop to. catch us up just because you can't get your act together." "Fine! I won't check my email. You happy?" Cal closed the open window on his laptop with a flourish. Marcie took a breath, and replied, "Not really. Listen, Cal. You're a nice guy. But this is the third report you've handed in late in the last couple of months. Nick is really running out of patience. What if he turfs you? You and I started here together, and I really don't want you to go any- where, you know?" Cal laughed, and said, "I'm not going anywhere, Marcie. Nick gets a little mad at me sometimes, but I know DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What discipline, if any, should Nick impose on Calvin? How should due process be ensured with regards to any discipline that is imposed on Calvin? 2. What impact will there be in both the short term and long term if Nick does not discipline Calvin? 3. If disciplining Calvin does not lead to satisfactory per- formance, would just cause dismissal be warranted, or should WEC pay "reasonable notice" or compensation in lieu of notice to sever the employment relationship? Explain the rationale behind your decision. In the next installment of the WE Connections story (at the end of Chapter 12), an overworked employee experi- ences the health and safety implications of a stressful work situation. The Underperformer Calvin laughed. He said, "Oh, I mean it. On some level Calvin Brooks rushed toward his desk, frantically look that it has become absolutely painful to do. I must have at least. But this analysis has been dragging on for so long ing around him. As he slipped off his jacket and turned on his laptop, he said to the woman in the next cubicle, "Hey. sick of it. I know he'll expect it to be perfect since it has stared at the data for 20 hours over the last few days. I'm Marcie. Nick hasn't been around here, has he?" Marcie finished what she was typing and then looked taken so much time, so now I just want to get it over with." up and said. "Actually, he has already been by looking for "Everybody wants that, Cal. So do it already." you. Cal. He looked pretty mad when he couldn't find your email. I was waiting to hear from a couple of people." Cal nodded. "I will. Today. First, just let me check my It wasn't the best day to come in a little late." Calvin and Marcie Finnegan were junior software en- Serial Procrastination gineers working on the same project at WE Connections. Both in their twenties, they had joined the company six Marcie shook her head, annoyed. That's always where you months prior, straight out of school. start. Email leads you to Instagram, where you stay until Cursing under his breath. Cal remarked, "Man. I was break. When you come back. you make a couple of calls, hoping he would be tied up with other things, and not then it's lunch time. In the afternoon, you walk around thinking about my stuff. I'm still not done the analysis he looking busy, but really just chatting with people. No won- asked for." der you never get your work done, Cal. You are a serial She shrugged. "You've got to know he isn't going to for procrastinator." get. That report was due a week ago. The man is tired of Offended, Cal said, "Hey! What's with you? Why are waiting. Why don't you just finish the dang thing? you on my back all of a sudden? You're not my boss." "I meant to. Other things keep coming up. I'll definitely She replied, "That's true. But I'm on this project, too. finish it today." Calvin nodded determinedly. And whenever someone doesn't do their part, it hurts other One of Marcie's eyebrows went up. "You've said that people. Paula needs your analysis to write some code. And every day for the last week. I'm starting to doubt that you I need that code for what I'm doing next. Now you're going really mean it." to be messing me up." Cal made a face. "C'mon. Who are you trying to kid? You're not sitting here twiddling your thumbs waiting for me. You have lots of work to do." he likes me. I'll be fine. That reminds me. I'm going to have to take a quick peek at my email. Someone said they were going to send me a funny golfing video. If it's good, I'll send it to Nick. He loves that kind of thing. That'll get him in a good mood again." Domino Effect you Marcie replied angrily, "What do you know about my workload? I have a work plan, and when someone like doesn't do what they're supposed to, my plan goes out the window. And when you make me late. I'm making some- one else late. Sure, it's true that I have lots to do. But the part you're holding up is important, and I sure as heck don't want to spend the next few weekends working nonstop to. catch us up just because you can't get your act together." "Fine! I won't check my email. You happy?" Cal closed the open window on his laptop with a flourish. Marcie took a breath, and replied, "Not really. Listen, Cal. You're a nice guy. But this is the third report you've handed in late in the last couple of months. Nick is really running out of patience. What if he turfs you? You and I started here together, and I really don't want you to go any- where, you know?" Cal laughed, and said, "I'm not going anywhere, Marcie. Nick gets a little mad at me sometimes, but I know DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. What discipline, if any, should Nick impose on Calvin? How should due process be ensured with regards to any discipline that is imposed on Calvin? 2. What impact will there be in both the short term and long term if Nick does not discipline Calvin? 3. If disciplining Calvin does not lead to satisfactory per- formance, would just cause dismissal be warranted, or should WEC pay "reasonable notice" or compensation in lieu of notice to sever the employment relationship? Explain the rationale behind your decision. In the next installment of the WE Connections story (at the end of Chapter 12), an overworked employee experi- ences the health and safety implications of a stressful work situation