Senator Thomas P. Gore
At he wondered how spacious the lobby of a corporate company is. He wasn't in a pleasant mood when the vice president's secretary finally came down to get him.
The VP's first words didn't help.
"Okay, Vance, where did you screw up?"
"I don't follow you," Jeffrey replied, startled. "I haven't screwed up anything."
The VP poured coffee from a carafe, swung back to Jeffrey and took a long sip, eyes boring in.
"Your division's trying to foist you off on me, Vance. That means you're a screw-up, a troublemaker or both. Which is it?"
The man's serious, Jeffrey thought, controlling his anger because he couldn't afford to make an enemy out of a corporate vice president. "Neither, sir," he answered evenly. "They recommended me because I've done a good job at division. They think I could do the same for you."
"Even if that's true, Vance, it's a mistake bringing division guys into corporate. You'll always play favorites, better to hire from outside." Jeffrey thought that, at least, was a reasonable concern and spent the next ten minutes assuring the VP that he could be totally impartial. The VP listened in silence.
Then, "Vance, let me lay it out for you. I happen to think the president of your division is a total incompetent and his way of doing things probably rubbed off on you, now's your chance to be impartial. Tell me about it."
That was it for Jeffrey.
"I'm sorry if you think that, but I don't agree. Our division is the only one that increased sales, profits and return on capital last year. Corporate expense was up fifteen percent, we cut expenses eight percent. That's good management. I'd like this job, it's a promotion for me, but not by stabbing good people in the back."
He walked out and drove back to the division. That night he updated his resume; sure that he'd blown both jobs. The next day, the division president told him, "Word came down. I'll be losing you at the end of the week."
"That's faster than I expected," Jeffrey said. "What did they tell you?" "Well, they said they need you on Monday. Congratulations." Then the president cocked his head and asked, "They also said they interviewed people from every division and you were the only one who passed the test. What test? What did they mean by that, Jeff, do you know?"
