As a new employee on the job, eager to make a good impression, it is easy to fall into old decision-making habits that may or may not be appropriate for a new job setting. This is the case with Randall ôRotorö Rooter. Known in his previous job as a quick decision-maker, he carries this skill with him to his new job and uses it to solve his first challenge, that of late Plexiglas door deliveries. He soon realizes that his old pattern of decision-making is not as effective in his new work environment as it was in the old environment. This is a case of frame-shift, of needing to develop new decision-making tools that work with a changing set of circumstances.
Working previously in a more independent job as plumber in the construction industry, Mr. Rooter was able to use a practiced assessment gained from years in the industry, combined with a direct, efficient approach to decision making to make most parties happy. However, in his new job working for U.S. Home, he is ostensibly in an environment with a broader, more interconnected base of employees, perhaps requiring a more managerial rather than entrepreneurial decision-making style. Mr. RooterÆs habit of prioritizing speed in decision-making is insufficient to correct the problem in this corporate environment. He does not do enough probing to understand the cause of the problem before taking action. This is important to decision making in most environments, but is especially applicable to the situation in his new job, which involves multiple parties and multiple levels on which things can go wrong (McNamara: Basic guidelines..., 1999).
When working more independently, as Mr. Rooter did previously, his approach to problem solving was likely relatively straightforward. As a more independent worker (perhaps an independent, licensed contractor), Mr. Rooter was previously responsible for many of the factors behind problems that might arise. In the
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