Setting a strategic direction for a business school, initiating a culture change, and overcoming a massive financial deficit were challenges faced by the incoming dean of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, Alison Davis-Blake. Of the four strategic pillars adopted-analytical rigor, action learning, boundarylessness, and a focus on the positive-the positive pillar was both the most controversial and the most differentiating. After experiencing dramatic success over a five-year period, Davis-Blake stepped down and a new dean was appointed, Scott DeRue. He had to determine whether to keep the positive pillar or abandon it.

This case explores how a hiring manager at LinkedIn uses a selection interview to ensure a new employee fits the organization's values and culture. This selection interview provides a glimpse into how this manager puts the organization's values and culture into practice while recruiting a new employee. The case provides students with background information about LinkedIn's growth and success, its culture, and the value CEO Jeff Weiner's places on compassion. It also introduces Ryan Giles, a hiring manager at LinkedIn who poses an interview question to Lindsay Reed, a student pursuing an internship with LinkedIn. The case puts the student in the role of Lindsay as she debates the best way to answer the interview question. The epilogue to the teaching note describes Lindsay's answer as well as Ryan's explanation as to why he used this approach.

Job designs are typically created by managers for employees. But employees are often motivated to make changes to their formal job designs to customize a more desirable experience for themselves at work. The concept of "job crafting" captures these changes. This case describes how four employees at Burt's Bees Inc. crafted their formal job designs to better align their jobs with their individual motives and strengths. The stories illustrate several ways in which employees may go about crafting their jobs and how individuals and organizations may benefit from job crafting.

This is the first of a three-part case that describes the reaction and attitudes demonstrated by B. Joseph White upon hearing that he was not chosen to be president of the University of Michigan in May of 2002. Joe White responded to this news resiliently by helping the University make a smooth transition to a new president. The case elaborates on Joe White's beliefs about resilience and why he believes resilience is a desirable quality among individuals. Part A sets the stage with the case background.

Supplement to case W88C52. This is the final addition to a three-part case that describes the reaction and attitudes demonstrated by B. Joseph White upon hearing that he was not chosen to be president of the University of Michigan in May of 2002. Joe White responded to this news resiliently by helping the University make a smooth transition to a new president. The case elaborates on Joe White's beliefs about resilience and why he believes resilience is a desirable quality among individuals. Part 3 gives students an overview of White's experience after the decision was made.

Supplement to case W88C52. This is the second of a three-part case that describes the reaction and attitudes demonstrated by B. Joseph White upon hearing that he was not chosen to be president of the University of Michigan in May of 2002. Joe White responded to this news resiliently by helping the University make a smooth transition to a new president. The case elaborates on Joe White's beliefs about resilience and why he believes resilience is a desirable quality among individuals. Part B presents the speech on disappointment that White gave at the Regents dinner.

Most feedback accentuates the negative. During formal employee evaluations, discussions invariably focus on "opportunities for improvement," even if the overall evaluation is laudatory. No wonder most executives--and their direct reports--dread them. Traditional, corrective feedback has its place, of course; every organization must filter out failing employees and ensure that everyone performs at an expected level of competence. But too much emphasis on problem areas prevents companies from reaping the best from their people. After all, it's a rare baseball player who is equally good at every position. Why should a natural third baseman labor to develop his skills as a right fielder? This article presents a tool to help you understand and leverage your strengths. Called the Reflected Best Self (RBS) exercise, it offers a unique feedback experience that counterbalances negative input. It allows you to tap into talents you may or may not be aware of and, so, increase your career potential. To begin the RBS exercise, you first need to solicit comments from family, friends, colleagues, and teachers, asking them to give specific examples of times in which those strengths were particularly beneficial. Next, you need to search for common themes in the feedback, organizing them in a table to develop a clear picture of your strong suits. Third, you must write a self-portrait--a description of yourself that summarizes and distills the accumulated information. And, finally, you need to redesign your personal job description to build on what you're good at. The RBS exercise helps you discover who you are at the top of your game. Once you're aware of your best self, you can shape the positions you choose to play--both now and in the next phase of your career.