Rob Parson

Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley (A)

1. What is your assessment of Parson's performance? Please use the data in the case to complete the Evaluation and Development Summary in Exhibit 3 of the Rob Parson (A) case. Should he be promoted?

In my opinion, Parson’s performance can be viewed from different angles depending on the metric he is being judged. If he is judged on attitude, respect, teamwork and the Morgan Stanley way, then he clearly fails his performance. On the other hand, if he is judged with the business and monetary spectacles, then he outperforms and must clearly be promoted.

In a business like investment banking, being volatile, aggressive and individualist is totally normal,. The problem is that Morgan Stanley is not used to this type of behavior. I believe Parson should not be judged with the same metrics as some of his colleagues. He needs to break some procedures in order to be effective. On the other hand I think being disrespectful and questioning others work should not be tolerated.

I believe Nasr should try to convince the evaluators to measure him and any new investment-banking employee with a different metric. Tell them to delay the promotion six months and give him another opportunity to prove himself and show that he is willing to change his attitude. The company clearly needs him and keeping him motivated would be very beneficial.

2. If you were Paul Nasr, how would you plan to conduct the performance review? What would your goals be? What issues would you raise and why, and how would you raise them?

First of all I would try to relate to him as much as I could, I will tell him we are both new fishes in the Morgan Stanley bowl and that we must learn how to swim in new waters. I would be very direct with his evaluation, tell him I understand how things in investment banking work but there are clearly some aspects he needs to change.

I would also blame myself for not being honest with him since the issues...