I worked with a guy at my last position (I am still in the same company, different location/position now) that was technically excellent. He has been designing power supplies for over 30 years and really knows his stuff. He mentored me a lot and was a "go to guy" if there was a technical challenge or you needed a question answered on "how does this work". What he wasn't was a team player: wouldn't go to meetings, griped alot, and flat said he wouldn't work overtime.
The manager that hired me into my new position is interviewing this guy for a position on a very intense program that needs help AND a team player. This manager asked me about him. I told him the truth: "Technically brilliant, not a team player". We work for a defense contractor and the products we build protect the troops and let them kill the enemy before the enemy can kill them. The program that needs someone is delivering stuff that is needed right now by troops on the ground. To me, bottom line was: What is the right decision for the warfighter?
I feel awful, but I also feel like it was the right thing to do, no matter how much I like the guy or how much he helped me.

Just had to get that off my chest,
~Rob

 

Kind of a rock and a hard place.

You'll know if it was the wrong decision if you get a team player for the role who doesn't know his you know what from a hole in the ground LOL!!

 

You did the right thing in my opinion. He, being a good friend, still did not meet the team player requirement for the job. Don't feel guilty.

 

Rob, you made the right choice..
there is more to being good at your job than being technologically proficient. If his involvement may have hindered or delayed an important project, then as an employee or supervisor, you have a responsibility to say so.
What you might consider doing to use his expertise is assigning him as a consultant on the project, someone to answer questions, with out being in a position to delay the progress of it..

 

Personaly, I'd rather have someone that was technically correct than someone politically correct to hold my hand.
Another example would be a brilliant surgeon with a crappy bedside manner.
I've had several orthopedic surgeries by a great surgeon with a lousy bedside manner that the nurses disliked. He fixed me up good as new.
In this case, you were asked for your opinion, and gave it honestly, so I don't see anything wrong with that.
I doubt that your word alone was the make or break for this guy anyway.

 

simple...Yes

 

You used the correct criteria to make the decision: How to get the product into the hands of the soldier the quickest AND functioning properly. He might be a candidate for consulting on the project to take advantage of his technical expertice.

Hal

 

Rob, You answered correctly.

Consider the opposite. Suppose you said, "He's excellent technically and he's great as a team player". He gets hired. Those you reported to soon realize you not too good at evaluating situations. Perhaps you then put limits to your movement within the company. And that would not be a true evaluation of your decision making ability, you just said (at the time) what you though both parties would like to hear.

Always tell the truth, even when it hurts! Remember: "Facts change, truth doesn't"

Chris has a good solution. Hire him for his expertise, leave him out of the team huddle!

 

Hmmm, hard to say. Yes, technically brilliant people can be different or difficult to some. Do you want your equipment to work perfectly? I would say yes. Can you make it that way without him? Maybe. Could you meet your deadline with him. I would say, yes. He will be extremely quick due to his experience. Has his attitude changed since you last worked with him? Possibly. Sometimes people like focus so much on the task at hand they don't even think about how they say things. They don't mean to it just happens. Can you help him improve his people skills, YES!!!

You want to know how I know? Because I can be that type of person. I have to work very very hard at my people skills. I don't like to deal with alot of BS either. Am I brilliant, heck NO!!!!! Just passionate about what I do.


Truth is also in the eye of the one telling it.

 

you told the truth and gave your honest opinion never feel guilty about that. more people need to do it!

 

as above- AND, personally: you were asked for your opinion. that had to be something in itself from your bosses......if that other fella wants the job, he can make his case too....no loss on you. (Rob, how's the wife, anyways? haven't seen a pic the last two years)

heidi (who is proficient at ticking people off)

 

Hey, Don't feel bad. They did ask you for your opinion. I sure don't want to be like that guy, hence working on people skills is key.

 

It wasn't up to you to decide to hire him on or not. It was up to you to tell the truth. This should become a lesson to all of us. How you act at times can come back to bite you. If you twll the truth, then you've done your part. If the guy isn't happy about someone saying that about him, maybe he needs to go back and do some self evaluation.

 

DITTO.....!

Airbags in yet?

RJ

 

You did the right thing. I myself have had to make some hard decisions involving personnel. It isn't always easy. And it isn't political to be a Team Player. I have worked with a lot of guys who are technically excellent but are not good mentors or have bad attitudes. In some case they fit the bill, if all you need is expertise. In others, such as needing a trainer they can be lousy choices, because they may know the job but cannot teach it to someone else. A lot of Projects need to have input from a variety of skills, but to get the job done these folks need to be able to work together. If not a Team Player that can be very difficult.