When a Dream Job Turns Sour (A) and (B)

Tyler Lim, a young marketing professional, secured his dream job at InfiniTech, a multinational corporation in Singapore. While working as an external consultant for this organisation at his previous company, he had built a strong professional relationship with Ashley Nelson, a director, who became a staunch advocate for his recruitment to InfiniTech. After a rigorous selection process, he joined InfiniTech in early 2020 and began to excel in his new role.

However, the turning point came a year and a half later when a new supervisor, Neha Venkat, joined the team. Due to the prevailing travel restrictions given the COVID-19 outbreak, Neha managed the team remotely while working from Bangalore, India. Upon taking charge, she set ambitious goals and high expectations for the team. Tyler began to find himself at odds with her after she openly criticised him for not being a team player. To his disappointment, she placed him on a six-month performance improvement plan (PIP), indicating that he had significantly underperformed in his role.

Throughout the PIP, Tyler perceived Neha as a micromanager who left him feeling exhausted and demoralised. To his surprise, Ashley also agreed with Neha’s assessment of his performance, which led Tyler to wonder why Ashley had changed her views about him. As the end of the PIP approaches, Tyler contemplates his next steps. Should he trust Ashley for a fair outcome of the PIP? Or should he move on to a different organisation?

Students can learn about managing up, particularly when working remotely. Students can also learn about navigating personal challenges in professional settings and developing strategies to maintain mental well-being. The case can be used for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate classes as well as executive education on topics such as organisational behaviour, human resources, remote work, performance management, and career management.

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·      Teaching Note (SMU-25-0008)