Copyright: alphaspirit / 123RF Stock Photo
In the corporate environment, I have been to the top of the sales mountain quite often. In addition, I've been recognized as a top manager as well. Yet I don't know how many times, I was forced to stand on a stage and take a picture with someone who could care less about who I was or why I was standing beside them. There was no sincerity in their voice, and no genuine feelings in their handshake or their smile. Once the CEO even call me by a different name, than the one displayed on the prompter in front of him. Every handshake and smile felt fake. Now, that could be me being extra sensitive or perhaps them being very poor actors. As a leader, one thing I tried to avoid was sounding like a phony. Everyone can see through that BS.
Once when I was sales rep of the year, or rookie of the year, or something like that, I took the stage and the VP turned, shook my hand and said to me, "Thank you for sharing this moment with us."
Naturally, I was a bit confused by his remark. I didn't ask them to bring me on stage. My response was:
"Uh okay. Sure. You're welcome?" And then I smiled and took the picture with him and the other suit on stage. I think it was the CEO or somebody important.
Afterward, my boss came up to me and said, "Hey Doug didn't like the way you dissed him on stage."
I responded both dazed and confused, "What do you mean...dissed him?"
"Well you didn't thank him after he said thank you for sharing this moment."
" I said you're welcome, but you're absolutely right I didn't thank him. For what? He didn't mean it. All he had to do was say thank you, take the picture and that was it."
"Well it was rude. What the hell is wrong with you?"
"I didn't think I was being rude. I didn't know what to say. Besides he sounded fake and insincere. I didn't call him out, it was just an odd thing for him to say. I didn't know what to say in response."
"Why is that odd?"
"He said thank you for SHARING this moment with us."
"Again, why is that odd. You three were sharing a moment?"
"First of all, that sounds like a scene from some bad romantic comedy, and secondly I never asked him to share the moment. I'm not sure I wanted to SHARE the moment or even have the moment. They should just recognize us and send us on my way. I don't want to stand their and take a picture that I'll never get a copy of."
"What? What romantic comedy? Wait, the picture on stage? I'm sure you'll get a copy of the picture I'm one hundred percent certain you'll get a copy of that picture."
" Really? I've been to President's Club 3 times and I've never seen a picture of me on stage. Have you?"
He stood there and looked perplex, as if he was trying to recall some distant memory of when he was a rep and he had won an award.
"Now that I think about it. I don't think I have. That's so weird."
"See what I mean? What do they do with all those pictures? Where do they go?"
"Huh? Who cares about the pictures. Just apologize for being rude. He wants you to come and talk to him later...At the after party."
"Oh that'll be good for my career. I'll be drinking and I'm certain I will say something stupid."
"Well that's on you, not on him."
"No it's on him. I won't be talking to him after he's also been drinking...that will just make things even more awkward and weird."
"Well he just wants you to explain yourself."
"I don't need to explain myself after he's had three Moscow Mules. He'll barely be able to stand up. And then he'll try to put me in my place and the whole thing will be blown out of proportion."
"You'd better talk to him. He feels slighted."
"I'll talk to him tomorrow. After all those drinks he won't even remember what happened. I'm going to celebrate with our team and then go to bed."
"I think that's a bad idea."
"Do you want to know what I think is a bad idea? Reprimanding me for something I said on stage that meant nothing when I just won President's Club for the 4th time. Shouldn't we be celebrating?"
"Oh yeah. Congratulations. Now enjoy it and don't forget to explain yourself."
" Gee thanks?", I said and then just started laughing. It all seemed so silly that I was having to discuss something that happened on stage an hour ago, because the ego of the VP couldn't let it go.
My boss gave me a pat on the back of my suit coat.
"Don't be a dick. Make sure you apologize.", he said and then began to turn and walk off.
"Sure. Sure. First chance I get.", I said, being just as insincere as the VP had been on stage. Instead I went over to our team, had a drink with all of them and then headed back to my room. I didn't want any drama so I thought it best to wait til the morning, and then speak to Doug.
When I woke up, I went down for breakfast and looked around for him, but he was no where to be found. I checked each table, and after the break my boss came over to me. I assumed he wanted to check on whether or not I had spoken to Doug.
"Hey I couldn't find Doug last night so I didn't get a chance to speak to him.", I said.
"Oh yeah don't worry about it. Doug got fired last night for groping more than a few of the female reps."
"What? Are you freaking kidding me?"
"Nope! Apparently he was pretty drunk and grabbing asses all night. Well he grabbed the wrong ass and it turned out to be the head of HR. "
I just started to laugh. "I feel bad for those reps, but I'm glad it wasn't my ass he was grabbing."
He laughed as well, "No kidding. Some guys just think with the wrong head."
"That's true. Well he got what he deserved if you ask me. You still want me to apologize to him?"
"F you!", he said, and I believed he was definitely being sincere.
-SFTD
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