I arrived at 7:15AM as usual. I was always the first one in and the last one out of the office. I used the quiet time to work on things impossible to get to when employees and clients were awake.

 

This morning?s goal was a new attendance policy.  In consulting, it?s important to be there when your clients are. That usually means you?re in before they are and out after they?re gone. We like to think it gives the illusion of non-stop work (although I don?t think our clients are really that naive). 

 

During our go-go growth days of year one, I needed to threaten people to get them to go home. These days you better not be standing by the doorway at 5:00 or you may get trampled.

 

It was about 8:30 when the phone rang. It was John Simms, my Director of Business Development. He helped me start the company and was basically my right hand. John and I knew each other for 15 years. He joined Vincore Consulting (my old firm) five years after me. I became something of a mentor to him but he was a quick study. After a few years, it was less of a mentoring relationship and more of a partnership. I made sure he was on my team for every important project. When I decided to leave Vincore, it was almost a foregone conclusion that he would come with me. When I was up to my ears in day to day problems, he was the one person I could count on to think strategically and keep us heading in the right direction.

 

?Andy, it?s John. Are you free to talk this morning? I need to speak with you?

 

This didn?t sound good. ?I?m free now, what?s up?.

 

?I?d rather stop by your office and talk in person; will you be around in about 30 minutes??

 

This really didn?t sound good. ?I?ll be here. I?ll see you then?.

 

Any discussion that can?t happen over the phone is usually bad news. John was leading the effort to get Vault Communications (our 2^nd biggest client) to start a major new project we had been proposing to them for the last 4 months. This would mean a major new revenue stream and some new relationships with a very important client. My guess was John wanted to tell me, in person, that we hadn?t won the work. In retrospect, that news wouldn?t have been so bad?

 

At 9:00 John knocked on my door.

 

?Come on in John, even bad news might be welcome if it gives me a break from writing this damn attendance policy?.

 

John came in, sat down, and looked awfully serious.

 

He started with a deep breath. ?Andy, you know how much I?ve loved working here right??

 

Uh oh.

 

?From day one I?ve put my heart and soul into this job. I?ve worked crazy hours and never complained. I?ve prioritized this company over family and friends because I always felt we were doing something important for our clients and employees?.

 

?What?s your point, John? I interrupted.

 

?I just don?t feel it anymore Andy. I used to have so much passion for the work we did that I didn?t care what it took to get the job done. Now I?m looking at my watch all day counting the hours and wishing I was somewhere else?

 

?I know business has been a little rough but we?ll get back on track?

 

?You don?t understand Andy. I can deal with things when they get rough. We?ve been through difficult times before and gotten through it. The problem is this place has changed. You?ve changed too?.

 

?Now wait a minute John, I?ve got a business to run and could use some support. I?m sorry if I?m not a ray of sunshine everyday! You?re out there wining and dining clients while I need to deal with real life back here. Do you know what it?s like spending half your day putting out fires??

 

?That?s just my point Andy. It?s not fun anymore. We always said, if it wasn?t fun, we?d stop doing it?

 

I slumped back in my chair and waited for the other shoe to drop. And then he hit me with it?

 

?Andy, I?ve decided to move on. Vincore offered to take me back with a promotion to VP of Sales and it?s too good an opportunity to pass up. I?m giving you my two weeks notice?.

 

I was speechless. Although I owned the firm, I never thought of John as an employee, he was more of a partner. How could he do this to the company? How can he do this to me?  For the lack of anything constructive to say, my reaction was short, sweet and pretty heartless.

 

?Thanks for everything John. No need for two weeks notice, you can leave as soon as you gather your personal belongings.?

 

?Andy, please don?t??

 

?Goodbye John, I?ve got work to do?.

 

Upon reflection, working on that attendance policy was the best part of my day.