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Good Knight/Bad Knight follow this blog post

posted by on Feb. 6, 2008

After last week?s blog, ?The Waiter Rule?, a valid point was raised. When do we, as recruiters, shield our hiring managers from making decisions?  When do we give them all the options and let them decide?

 

Earlier this week I prepared a response built around a hypothetical situation involving mercurial head basketball coach, Bobby Knight.  What would the challenges and opportunities be to recruit and present him for a prestigious head basketball coaching position? Just my luck.  He resigned his post from Texas Tech on Monday night! (Without consulting me!  Doesn?t that take him out of the realm of ?passive candidates??  I hate when that happens.) While the Coach appears to be ending his career at this time, I still think this makes an interesting scenario to consider.  So can we roll back the calendar one week, and pretend he?s still gainfully employed at Texas Tech? 

 

Consider the possibilities.  What would you do?

 

You are a talent agent.  Say you have been asked to find a head collegiate basketball coach.  When talking to the Athletic Director, this college is looking for someone who can deliver the following:

  • A winning record consistently each year
  • Hire and retain coaching staff that create strategies that deliver winning record
  • Attracts, recruits and retains top student talent
  • Requires high standards of discipline on and off the field
  • Long-term ? develops the characters of the players on the team

 

Now let?s say that in your recruiting efforts, you start a dialog with Bobby Knight, the Head Basketball Coach of Texas Tech.

 

In so many ways, Bobby Knight is the most successful collegiate basketball coach of all time.  He has 902 victories, more  than any NCAA-Division I college basketball coach.  He has held the illustrious title of Head Basketball Coach of the University of Indiana, where basketball reaches almost religious status.  He is considered the epitome of ?Old School? Coaching ? a strict disciplinarian who insists on having complete control of his team and his staff, which obviously results in those consistent wins.  If Bobby Knight would consider looking at your opportunity, why wouldn?t you move full steam ahead?

 

Look at his achievements:

  • Won the NCAA National Basketball Championship 1976, 1981, 1987
  • Won the NIT National Basketball Championship 1979
  • Won the Olympic Gold Medal in 1984 as coach of the US Basketball Team
  • One of only four coaches to earn an NCAA Championship, an NIT Championship and an Olympic Gold Medal
  • Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 (His first year of eligibility as a coach.)
  • Over 900 career collegiate coaching victories to date.  (Ranks number 1 for Men?s NCAA ? Division I Basketball.)

 

In checking references and investigating, you find that beyond his stellar record of wins on the court, Bobby has one fatal flaw.  He has a hard time controlling his temper. Even beyond that, it manifests itself in physical demonstrations of force.

 

  • He was arrested for assaulting a police officer at the Pan Am Games in Puerto Rico. 
  • Upset about a call against his team, he threw a chair across the basketball court during a game with arch-rival, Purdue
  • He was filmed taking a player by the throat and choking him.
  • He was fired from Indiana after grabbing a player by the arm (after a very long string of incidents.)
  • After having a public shouting match in the cafeteria with the Chancellor of Texas Tech, the Chancellor and President were fired.  Knight retains his position of Head Basketball Coach.

 

What would you do?

 

While this is a  fabricated recruiting scenario for us to consider, this type of thing does come up..  Whether the candidate is a Director of Operations, a Controller, a Plant Manager or a Chief Technology Officer, it is our responsibility to find the most qualified and motivated candidate.  At the same time, we must do our due diligence to find out the full picture of the candidate before we submit.  How does this candidate fill the client?s job order requirements?  How does this candidate fit the culture of the organization?  What are the benefits of the placement? For the Client?  For the Candidate?  For you?

 

So here?s your dilemma.  You have a candidate who unquestionably delivers the winning results that your client is seeking.  He?s got the most impressive winning record ever.  He has years of experience and success and he?s motivated to make a move and take your position. AND you know that he?s a walking time bomb.  His past has proven that he chooses not to control his temper and that he lets it extend beyond the bounds of physical restraint.

 

You?..

  1. Submit
  2. Pass

 

What would you do and why?

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9 comments

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  • 1 point 21 months ago

    I would submit/hire Bob Knight in a minute. Everything he stands for and has done in the past - good or bad - shows his passion for his career. I would represent and stick my neck out for him in a minute!

    Robert Stanke http://www.robertstanke.com

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    When we submit and/or consider candidates for hire, we think about these three things for sure, and while we may attempt to factor other things into the equation from time to time, by hook, law, and crook, it comes down to these three. Out of the candidates I am considering which is the most ready willing and able?

    Bobby Knight, in this hypothetical situation, is certainly prepared (ready) to accept a coaching position by virtue of his experience record. He says he would like to consider the job and this seems validated by the other info he has provided, so chalk up a yes for willingness. Finally, does he seem able to do the job? He certainly is able from the technical perspective, but his behavior may indicate he may not be able to carry out his job duties responsibly from time to time. If I were an athletic director or team owner, would I still want to interview Bobby Knight based on this? Most would say yes. Remember a referral and interview does not necessarily make a hire. But Bobby Knight has performed. We are all human. I say we disclose and give the hiring authority all due respect to make the hiring decision.

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    All replies are Third Party. How would a corporate recruiter react to this?

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    Sorry Sue...not going to use a lot of my recruiting knowledge for this one. Since the chair was directed towards my beloved Boilermakers, I will have to pass. I would take Gene Keady any day over Knight!

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    Bobby Knight's coaching style is antiquated, at best. While he has been successfull in the past, his last National Championship was in 1987 (more than 20 years ago), and since then (although a few exceptions), his teams have barely made it past the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. By the way, NIT doesn't count for post season successes, I have never known anyone who has filled out a complete NIT bracket. Also, Bobby Tyrant has led his Texas Tech to barely above 500 record in the Big 12 Conference - surely not something he could pitch or brag about when he recruits. I think Bobby left Texas Tech at the right time, he does not have to be under scrutiny for the team's lack of success. His success from a long time ago (20 plus years) certainly did not resonate to success at Texas Tech.

    How would you like to have Bobby Knight as your boss?

    Great article.

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    Sue -

    Great Topic and one that I bet will have a variety of responses. The key here in my opinion is that we have a job to do for the customer and we must do that job in an objective manner. We are hired by our customers to find them the right candidate for their organization and we must take into account, technical skills, soft skills, culture, drive, motivators, past performance, future performance, and so on. With that said, it is our responsibility to evaluate each person based on the criteria that is set forth by the client, determine appropriate fit and provide tangible information to the client so that they are making an informed decision. Some companies would not hire a "Bobby Knight" while some would rank him as their top choice. As a Search Recruiter, we rely on our logic and ability to ask questions to determine fit for a candidate but there are often times that the candidate that we rank as our #3 is the one that gets the job. Keep in mind that there are a few elements of our search that no matter how good the qualify and our relationship with the customer is, we will just never be able to screen for. Ah, the "human element" tends to creep in there somewhere.

    So, to get to the point, we must present the information that we have available to the customer to allow them the opportunity to determine what is right for them while offering an objective, "transparent" viewpoint. It is our job to share what the candidate has that meets theirs needs, how they can provide a solution for their problem, and also any points of concern for the customer to evaluate. The client will appreciate us for not "selling" them a candidate, but instead opening dialog around the strengths and areas of development of the candidate so that they can evaluate the potential fit for the individual.

    Our objective viewpoint is key to developing a lasting relationship with our customer as a true partner, not just a company trying to close a transaction.

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    ...I believe that I would submit. However, I would make sure that the client was fully informed and aware of some of my concerns. This would put the choice in their hands. I had exposed them to a candidate who would bring results, but I also revealed the entire picture and left it up to them. This way, they would be accountable for any future time bombs that await. Also, this aligns us as a staffing partner that is almost an extension of the HR team.

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    Sue:

    Undoubtedly, Bobby Knight is one of the greatest coaches ever. I have watched him all my life and even to this day I still respect him very much. In fact, I wish that there were more coaches like him in every sport; both on the collegiate and professional level (especially the NBA/NFL). The impact of discipline and hard work on a team/person is evident by his success. Nonetheless, I can not agree with many of his tactics or his past behavior. In regards to the questions, as you mentioned you have a stellar candidate but one who carries some heavy baggage. Although I would submit this candidate it would be under very tight circumstances and restrictions. The management would have to be aware of my concerns well before we even thought about moving forward. Only at this point, do I feel that a customized plan could be put together for this person. Whatever that would entail, hopefully my customer could provide it. If they were in need of a major player such as this, I would hope that they would be willing to design something. It would really come down to the candidate?s willingness and track-record of improving. In addition, I know that Bobby Knight?s references (former players, assistant coaches, etc) have always given him high accolades. With out these, an employer of choice who values teamwork, synergy, collaboration, etc, would not care about the accomplishments. These references are a testament to his abilities as a leader and with the success he has had, it makes him one of the best.

    Great article and question.

  • 1 point 21 months ago

    I played basketball in college and as a former player I would hire him in a second. Not only is he a great coach, but I believe he is a great mentor for life as well. I believe he teaches the values that we use in the professional world today.