August 6, 2010

“I think he’s going to draw a complex algebraic curve with one data point.”

“You’re giving him too much credit.  He has no data.”

The guy was neither an executive nor a college professor.  He was both pitiful and frustrating to watch.  At times when we needed action, he pontificated.  When opportunity for thought presented itself, he made rash and quick decisions.  While some at least hoped that his poor performance could be attributed to the fact that he was an “intellectual”, most realized he was just simply pompous.

Most of his attention after the lunch hour was on dinner.  Where would he eat?  How much would he charge the company?  He traveled even when he was on travel.  Memories of working for him are now nightmares.  I’ll forever be haunted by his wrap up during a presentation for a multi-hundred million dollar business opportunity.  A group of us watched him read his “commitment” to our prospective customer from three by five cards.  I should say we watched him momentarily.  We spent most of the speech studying our shoes. 

On one occasion, long after we had become familiar with his penchant for wasting what could have been productive time, he started drawing plans on a white board.  Nothing made sense, nor did it correlate whatsoever with our business.  Midway through his “chalk talk”, he drew an “x” and “y” axis.  I leaned to a friend seated next to me and whispered, “I think he’s going to draw a complex algebraic curve with one data point.”

Without even cracking a smile, my buddy replied, “You’re giving him too much credit.  He has no data.” 

The non-executive, non-professor speechified to us regularly.  If nothing else, his haranguing did occasionally remind us that it was time to polish our shoes.  Time was not completely lost. 

Craig Halsey

They Said It

August 6, 2010