A large outsourcing company in New York, feeling it was time for a shake-up, hired Jack as their new CEO. Jack, having come from a string of high-level executive roles (mostly ones he left before things got too messy), was determined to prove himself from day one.
“I need to make a big impression,” Jack muttered to himself, adjusting his perfectly symmetrical tie as he walked into the building. “Something bold. Something decisive. Something… firable.”
He strutted into the main office without announcing himself and saw a man leaning casually against the wall in the hallway, twirling a paperclip like it was a fidget spinner and staring into space like he was deep in thought or asleep with his eyes open.
Jack stopped in front of him. “You! How much do you make a week?”
The man blinked. “Uh… around $500, sir.”
Jack nodded. “Great. Wait here.”
He whipped out his company credit card like it was a sword, marched to the finance office, and withdrew $2,000 in cash. Returning triumphantly, he shoved the bills into the man’s hands.
“Here’s four weeks’ pay. You’re fired. Now get out and take your attitude with you.”
Stunned, the man blinked again, slowly took the cash, nodded, and walked out of the building without saying a word.
Feeling satisfied, Jack turned to a cluster of employees who had witnessed the scene with growing horror.
“Let that be a lesson,” he declared. “Anyone here not pulling their weight will be shown the door. I won’t tolerate idleness. Now, who was that guy anyway?”
One timid employee raised a hand. “Um… that was the pizza delivery guy. He was just waiting for someone to sign the receipt.”
Jack stared.
Silence.
Then he cleared his throat. “Let this also be a lesson in how much I value customer service.”
He walked briskly into his new office and closed the door.
The pizza was cold.
