Donna Dubinsky's Weaknesses

Donna Dubinsky's Weaknesses

Dubinsky weaknesses surfaced prominently when Apple's political forces required strategies for change management.

She was convinced that her experience, judgment and past record of effectiveness would carry more weight than Coleman's radical JIT proposal. Nevertheless, intimidated by rumors of the sophisticated presentation being prepared by Coleman Dubinsky requested an extension as the deadline for her report grew near.

In handling the distribution issue, she seemed to be emotionally attached with the issue which lessened her credibility. Her arguments were considered more defensive than well-reasoned. If she had approached the issue with more positive and collaborative attitude, her arguments could have been better received by the management and the task force.

While arguing the distribution issue, it appears that initially she was too involved in the details. She had a reactive approach. She was finding holes in the arguments of the opposition, but did not come up with her own different plan. This was also felt by Campbell who was frustrated given that even after more than 3 months since Weaver and Dubinsky were asked to review the strategy, they did not have a good presentation that could steer the votes in favor of having a different distribution organization.

Advice to Dubinsky

Recommendations

1. Jobs should cooperate with Donna if he wants his idea forward. Because Donna is only one who can handle customer service affairs, and she knew about implementing distribution strategy.

2. If Donna really wants to exercise her power she should identify the conflict, about just in time method, current warehousing method etc. After identifying conflict then she should make plan for decision making, and finally come out with some solution to stay or to change the distribution system.

3. Donna need to identify capability and feasibility of Just in time method on that basis she can prepare her distribution strategy review report.

4. More over if company goes for adopting just in time method they will be working against Apple value, Empathy for customer, solving customer problem, all six distributions are involve in customer service. Closing them will contradict the value.

5. After Donna ultimatum, it is turning point, if her boss doesn't allow her 30 days and accept resignation Donna will lose bet and company will also lose valued employee, in this situation there will be loss of both. But organization would go head according to Jobs policy.

6. If they allow Donna 30 days then it's high time for her to prove herself.

7. Company can also ask her to present her report in 30 days otherwise they will accept resignation if she failed to present it clearly.

By anticipating or normalizing the idea that we will have to take risks - even career-threatening ones -

in service of our values at some point in our work lives, we expand our vision of what degree of freedom

we have in our decision-making. The explicit decision to prepare for that eventuality - whether that