CHAPTER 14

Back to the Future

At a location near you. Six months from today.

You have been called to attend a mandatory organization meeting. There is apprehension, excitement, and speculation about why the meeting was called. The entire organization has been asked to participate either in person or on a conference call, a highly unusual request.

Rumors are rampant. Is the organization merging with a competitor? Is it being sold? Will there be layoffs? Are we unveiling a top-secret new product line? Is the CEO stepping down?

The bottom line is that no one knows the purpose of the meeting. Everyone knows for sure that they’re in for some BIG NEWS.

The president and CEO arrive with board members in tow. You can tell they’ve been burning the midnight oil. Their usually perfectly creased pants and starched shirts look slept in. There are bags under their eyes. But they also look really excited and seem to be all smiles.

After the usual pleasantries and logistics to ensure that all conference callers are hooked up properly, the president begins the announcement:

For the past several years, our organization has continued to impress our customers and the investment community with our performance. We are the proven leader in our field—both in quality and service. Our market share has skyrocketed. Our employees are the best the industry has to offer. We’ve compiled an impressive list of accomplishments in a relatively short time.

But today we are here to take our organization—and you—to the next level. Last night, our board of directors gave final approval to an aggressive expansion strategy. Our plans are to expand our product offerings and our geographic presence. We will become an international organization with new offices in Mexico, Canada, and Europe. We’re also planning to open offices in four major cities around the United States.

These are exciting—but challenging—times for us. Our greatest task is to get the right people into the right places to lead this aggressive expansion. I know many of you have been preparing for opportunities to advance with our organization. That time is now. We will immediately begin our search for leaders who are willing to accept these new challenges.

Thanks to each of you for your contributions to our unprecedented success. Our vice president of human resources will now outline the interviewing and selection process for these exciting new opportunities.

The silence that follows is deafening. This is awesome news, but it is totally unexpected. What are the new opportunities? Who will be considered?

Answering a few questions, the president and CEO then leave the room to exuberant applause and a standing ovation.

Many have not prepared. Many were surprised. Many have been disengaged.

You?

You confidently smile because you have become … the indispensable, obvious choice!!

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May life’s journey bring you success, happiness, balance to your life, and a clear vision of the opportunities presented to you, as you become the Indispensable choice for your next opportunity.