Two old friends and a new issue!

Sashi, 27 year old MBA from a reputed business school, joined Malaya Industries about
25 months ago. Prior to joining Malaya Industries, Sashi had worked with a retail chain
management group for about 15 months as a Sales Officer supervising about 30 odd sales
personnel.

Sashi is an enterprising young man of very active habits with a lot of outdoor activities.
He loves to interact with people and is always at the centre of things. He is a go-getter,
inspires people to give their best and is also very demanding in his nature.

Sashi makes his presence felt and makes sure that the discussion moves around the issues
raised by him. He is a good communicator. Sashi lost his parents pretty early in his life
and was brought up by his uncle who had spent substantial number of years in the armed
and took premature retirement. As a retired Colonel his uncle brought Sashi up with strict
discipline. Sashi was also a very strict disciplinarian.

Malaya Industries is a mid-size retail outlet of a branded garment manufacturer and the
products that they deal with cater to only niche customers. They have sixteen outlets in
the country, in almost all big cities, and doing very well.

Sashi was extremely happy to have met his long lost school friend, Rishav, on joining
Malaya. Rishav was one of the Sales personnel who were reporting to Sashi. Rishav is an
avid follower of football and other sports activities. He is also into various other social
activities. Rishav is liked by his colleagues, in fact he is quite popular amongst his
colleagues. Rishav never tries to take advantage of his friendship with Sashi. But, as his
habit is, he is never seen to be ‘respectful’ to Sashi, he takes Sashi as an old friend and
not as his ‘boss’.

In one of the team meetings Rishav disagreed with a proposal floated by Sashi. Rishav
argued that Sashi’s proposal of giving the extra-push in selling during the on-going lean
season would lead to a situation of definite drop of sales during the peak season and
therefore such a strategy is not required. Sashi asked Rishav to suggest an alternative to
push the sales. To this Rishav replied, “You are paid to do the job, Sashi! Why do you
want me to make your life easier”?
Sashi was taken aback at this response and did not like such a response. He retorted, “I
know what my job is and I will do it well. I am now asking you to be positive in your
attitude and suggest something if you do not agree with my proposal. I remind you that I
am not going to take such behaviour from anyone, including you, Rishav. Behave
properly and if you do not, I know how to put you in your rightful place. I find you not
only insolent; also incapable to do the work you are assigned. I would rather do without
you in my department. Make up your mind for a transfer to another location, and that too
sooner than later”!

Rishav grinned and replied, “You are acting too big for your boots, Sashi. May be you
would like to breathe fresh air in a different location or on a different ground!”

An uneasy quietness fell in the room with others not knowing what to do!

Reading this case, what are your comments on the following? :

a) As Sashi how would you deal with the situation?

b) As a student of OB, what do you feel are the problems which need
to be addressed?