99. Don51: |
I had heard this one before but forgot how relevant it is to Obama.
The story:
When a newly hired exec bumps into his fired predecessor on the way out of the office, the individual is offered three envelopes. The predecessor advises that each consecutively number envelope is numbered and only to be opened in sequence when the proverbial crap hits the fan and nothing else is working. The new manager smiles, takes the envelopes but quickly puts them in a drawer and forgets them. That’s until months later things are still not running well and senior management is looking for scalps. Then the envelopes are remembered. The manager dutifully finds and opens envelope marked ‘1′. It contains a simple note saying – ‘Blame everything on me”. Not having any other real ideas, the manager does exactly that which buys him a reprieve from the powers to be. Things are still wonky, but the new manager barely keeps the office afloat. Many months later, things still haven’t significantly improved and senior management once again is looking to make someone walk the plank. The stressed manager remembers the envelopes and rips open the one marked ‘2′. It reads “Reorganize”. So a plan to reorganized is formulated and given to senior management. That buys our manager several more months to try to deal with the crisis at hand. Of course the problems being intrinsic to the organization, they only fester. Senior management now summons the manager to a meeting which anyone could understand may well be his last. So the manager digs to find envelope numbered ‘3′ to open, only to read the advice “Prepare three envelopes”.
The story:
When a newly hired exec bumps into his fired predecessor on the way out of the office, the individual is offered three envelopes. The predecessor advises that each consecutively number envelope is numbered and only to be opened in sequence when the proverbial crap hits the fan and nothing else is working. The new manager smiles, takes the envelopes but quickly puts them in a drawer and forgets them. That’s until months later things are still not running well and senior management is looking for scalps. Then the envelopes are remembered. The manager dutifully finds and opens envelope marked ‘1′. It contains a simple note saying – ‘Blame everything on me”. Not having any other real ideas, the manager does exactly that which buys him a reprieve from the powers to be. Things are still wonky, but the new manager barely keeps the office afloat. Many months later, things still haven’t significantly improved and senior management once again is looking to make someone walk the plank. The stressed manager remembers the envelopes and rips open the one marked ‘2′. It reads “Reorganize”. So a plan to reorganized is formulated and given to senior management. That buys our manager several more months to try to deal with the crisis at hand. Of course the problems being intrinsic to the organization, they only fester. Senior management now summons the manager to a meeting which anyone could understand may well be his last. So the manager digs to find envelope numbered ‘3′ to open, only to read the advice “Prepare three envelopes”.
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