As the week winds down, we wind down with some tidbits for your information, education, health, and enjoyment.
Quote of the Week: “I don’t suffer from stress. I’m a carrier.â€Â Funny Boss
Humor Break: Today’s is an old, old joke. But I am old, old AND I believe in recycling:
Lee had just been hired as the new CEO of a large high tech corporation. The CEO who was stepping down met with her privately and presented her with three numbered envelopes … #1, #2, #3. “Open these if you run up against a problem you don’t think you can solve,” the departing CEO said.
Well, things went along pretty smoothly, but six months later, sales took a downturn and Lee was really catching a lot of heat. About at her wit’s end, she remembered the envelopes. She went to her drawer and took out the first envelope. The message read, “Blame your predecessor.”
Lee called a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO. Satisfied with her comments, the press — and Wall Street — responded positively, sales began to pick up and the problem was soon behind her.
About a year later, the company was again experiencing a slight dip in sales, combined with serious product problems. Having learned from her previous experience, Lee quickly opened the second envelope. The message read, “Reorganize.” This she did, and the company quickly rebounded.
After several consecutive profitable quarters, the company once again fell on difficult times. Lee went to her office, closed the door and opened the third envelope.
The message said, “Prepare three envelopes.”
Stat of the Week: Here are 7 reasons why you should add some humor to your (work) life.
Action Tip: Save this link. Go there when you need a laugh. Save yourself from a bad day. The jokes are listed from A to … well, A. The list is so long the site only includes the first letter. But there are some places to click if you want even more!
Check It Out: Did you know that giving time to others can have the paradoxical effect of making you feel like you have more time yourself? Check it out!
Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley (mostly) retired after 35 years in organizational consulting, training and management development. During those years he worked internally with seven organizations and trained and consulted externally with more than 90 large and small businesses, government agencies, hospitals and schools.
Very clever and I happen to agree totally about the importance of humor and recycling so I like this on 2 counts. New Orleans…did you go already? Hope it was a blast.