Struggling to Hire a Mechanics Manager

This decision-based critical incident describes General Manager Craig Newtonberg’s inability to hire a successful mechanics department manager at Trucks Unlimited, LLC. Craig first hired an experienced manager named John with no mechanical experience. John’s lack of mechanical experience caused him to struggle to gain the respect and trust of the mechanics he was supervising and he was thus eventually transferred to sales. John was replaced by Jake, who was a long-time employee and the best mechanic in the department, but Jake lacked managerial experience. Despite being a highly respected mechanic, Jake’s lack of people-skills caused him to struggle as a manager. The two failed hires have caused Craig to become frustrated and to wonder how to proceed.