One more bit of data that I'm unclear on. I see only one place where you and I are talking past each other.
If Zduriencik really did not know what happened beforehand, that's a very serious problem. But it's equally serious if he did know beforehand -- as Adair and Daniels suggested -- and deliberately misled his team president and CEO. You can't do that.
Are you saying that Armstrong and Lincoln asked Zduriencik, point-blank, "Are there any personal issues with these guys" and that Zduriencik flatly said no?
I had surmised that Z would respond, "Lueke had an issue in the past but it was taken care of and is no big deal," this reply being sincere from Z's point of view.
If Zduriencik was sincere in his opinion that the matter wasn't critical -- and that many other GM's would agree --, then that wouldn't at all be misleading a senior exec. It would be a miscommunication. Happens all the time in F-500.
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You seem to be assuming that Lueke's crimes are inherently a huge deal to any normal GM or CEO -- since they are to you -- and you seem to be ruling out the possibility that Zduriencik was surprised at Armstrong's reaction.
You have specific hearsay that rules this scenario out?
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If you have a sec to tell me where I'm going wrong on that one, I think I'd have more-or-less the total picture.