Business Case Studies & Business Publications

Michael Mercieca and Lori Aulds: Pinches...

Younge, Ayana, Kem...

Case

Michael Mercieca and Lori Aulds: Pinches Turned Punches?

Younge, Ayana; Kemp, Bianca

OB-1471 | Published October 21, 2024 | 6 pages Case

Collection: Darden School of Business

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Learning Objectives

This fictionalized, publicly sourced case prompts students to consider the challenges of being honest and direct in professional and personal relationships. In the case, protagonist Michael Mercieca, a dedicated, high-performing sales representative at Microsoft, becomes romantically involved with colleague Lori Aulds. Although their romantic relationship ends, the two remain friends and Aulds eventually becomes Mercieca’s boss. Initially supportive of Aulds’s career move, Mercieca nevertheless is stunned when he receives his performance evaluation—an “achieved” rating with a 70% ranking, indicating average performance within Microsoft’s forced ranking system. Mercieca then begins to wonder whether a recent incident at work between him and Aulds now threatens the career he’s spent years building. But at this point, what should he do? What can he do? This case explores themes of work-life balance, professional boundaries, and the challenges of managing relationships in a corporate setting. Likewise, it provides a platform to discuss why people must call out “pinches”—those sometimes small, sometimes not-so-small irritations in relationships—before they grow into "punches," larger issues that negatively affect both work and quality of life. Finally, the case serves as a valuable tool for students to examine the potential consequences of unaddressed conflicts and the importance of clear communication in professional settings, particularly when personal relationships intersect with workplace dynamics.