The Scene
A manager was trying to get buy-in from one of his employees to hire a new manager — someone the employee would report to in the future. He had two candidates: Mr X and Mr Y. The manager's preference differed from his employee's. He was trying to convince the employee that his choice was the right one for the long run — and he asked for my feedback.
My Response
Thank you for giving so much regard to my opinion. In simple terms: "You have got to do what you have got to do."
I did not want to pick Mr X or Mr Y for two reasons:
- I felt neither of them was fully qualified for the role.
- I had heard messages from the management side that were in absolute contrast to what was being heard from the team — a clear signal that something was not aligned.
Managers face these situations regularly. That is precisely why we are here. Let me give you two examples that I hope will make you more comfortable announcing your decision.
- I once hired a candidate against the will of the entire team. The team had no confidence that she could do the job. I trusted my instincts, hired her, and she went on to serve for three years as a top performer.
- Another person I promoted was considered an average player — good communication skills, but not an obvious choice for leadership. I trusted my instincts. He turned out to be a better manager than the person he had reported to, and is now leading a team of his own.
Opportunities Make Us Leaders — Choices Make Us Who We Are
- If the disparity in views is creating too much friction, do not force a decision on Mr X or Mr Y — keep the search open and find a better candidate.
- Trust your instincts. Trust your passion to build something better. Make the decision and commit to it.
- The choices we make make us who we are. Go ahead and announce your decision.
Concluding Thoughts
Leaders are leaders because of the choices they make — and because they live by those decisions, learn from their successes, and own their mistakes. A leader who realises they got something wrong, accepts it, learns from it, and moves forward with clarity is far more valuable than one who never makes a difficult call at all.
