Here's a bit of bizarre CEO behavior: Taking up a disguise to spy on a competitor. The head of sporting goods chain Modell's is the subject of a lawsuit for doing exactly that. At best, his behavior is creepy—at worst it could be fraught with legal implications.
According to MarketWatch, Mitchell Modell, the head of the company, has spent time in locations of Dick's Sporting Goods, another well-known chain in the same industry. The accusation is an unusual one, and is particularly ironic considering that he previously appeared on a reality TV show called "Undercover Boss."
However, being a real-life undercover boss in someone else's company is quite a different matter, and the Bergen Record reports the appearance as being a rare stunt. It features a statement from Howard Davidowitz, a retail analyst who seemed incredulous in response to these allegations.
"I've been on tens of thousands of store visits by CEOs," Davidowitz told the newspaper. "This I've never seen."
Of course, Modell wasn't just stopping by the Princeton, New Jersey, Dick's Sporting Goods location for fun. He made an effort to, as the source put it, "collect information" while pretending to be someone who worked for the company.
Needless to say, this is the sort of idea that shouldn't be taken too seriously by your executives, but without a comprehensive executive recruiting and interviewing process, dubious strategies and attitudes might be missed.
Management recruitment allows you to assess the skills of your potential candidates as well as their professional code. CEO experience is one thing, but a record of strong performance and a consistent fit with your company's values may be better signs.
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