L02 The Difficult Employee

Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby the Scrivener” describes a collection of employees with very unique personalities. Bartleby is of particular interest. His frequent response, “I prefer not to,” suggests a person who is hardly open to experience. As you read the story, you might also ask yourself the following questions:

• Did the organization err in hiring one or more of the characters?
• Suppose these same individuals presently work in your own organization (or one for which you previously worked): How should the organization address behaviors the characters exhibit in the story?
• Is Bartleby a “difficult person?” If so, why? If not, why not?

These are questions we will address in other lessons; however, they are also questions about which anyone of us might have an opinion based on our own work experiences. In fact, our assessment for this lesson will ask each of you to share your own personal experience with a fellow employee whom you believe to be “difficult.” If you can make a connection to any issue raised in Melville’s short story, please do.