A freelancer’s lies about his qualifications could be putting others at risk
The problem
When a row with his bandmates leaves Dewey Finn out of work, he poses as a substitute teacher and takes up a role at a local prep school – despite lacking the right qualifications. With a class full of gifted classical musicians, Dewey starts a new school project – ‘Rock Band’ – in an effort to win the Battle of the Bands tournament. Are his lies detrimental to the students? Or is he bringing some much-needed creativity to the school?
The solution
If an employee lies about their qualifications, it immediately leads to questions about their integrity, says Emma Hart, HR manager at Visualsoft (right). “HR needs to have a conversation with Dewey, but this should be done delicately and without any assumptions, because there might be valid reasons why he did it,” she says.
While accepting that working with children under a false identity is a serious (and potentially illegal) matter, Dewey’s enthusiasm and creativity are to be applauded, Hart adds. The Rock Band project helps his class develop into more confident young people – and introduces new learning methodologies to the organisation.
And while Dewey’s apparent lack of control and disregard for structure could be a cause for concern, “it can be great if it’s measured in respect to the impact and output, and the risks are considered”, says Hart. “Companies should never be afraid of someone challenging or shaking things up, and should embrace opportunities it brings.”
‘Maverick managers’ such as Dewey need to be handled cautiously, she adds: “HR must empower the mavericks, while at the same time make sure there are channels available for all staff to be engaged with decisions."