Thriving in Bad Times
"The CEO of a large company had an excellent financial adviser who had one strange habit. After the adviser gave his advice, he always told the CEO that whatever happened was good. No matter what happened to the company's sales or profits or stock, no matter what reports came in from field offices, no matter what campaigns the competitors launched or what lawsuits people brought against the company, the adviser always told the CEO, "That's good." One day the CEO lost several fingers in an accident. The adviser came to visit him in the hospital, looked at the CEO's bandaged hand and said, "You'll see it's a good thing." "That's it. Enough is enough," the CEO said. "You're fired. Get out of here." The CEO returned to work, still upset about the loss of his fingers. When the wound healed he decided to take a break and give himself a gift. He loved to study primitive cultures, so he decided to go on a safari. He hired a guide and porters and with some of his associates set off for the wilds. The first day out, the inexperienced guide lost his way and the group was captured by cannibals. The fires were lit and water put on to boil as the captives were lined up for the ceremonial meal. When the cannibal chief sat down to observe the procedure, he looked at the CEO, saw his missing fingers and stopped the proceedings. "This man is imperfect. We don't eat imperfect people. It would affect our future generations. Release him." When the CEO returned home he looked up his former adviser and went to see him. He found him unemployed and living off his savings in a house he had rented. "I came to apologize to you," said the CEO. "You were right." "What do you mean?" said the adviser. The CEO told him about the safari and the cannibals and why he was spared. "It really was a good thing that I lost my fingers. I'm so sorry I fired you and ruined your reputation and life. What can I do to make up for my mistake?" "No, no, it was a good thing you fired me." "What do you mean it was a good thing I fired you?" "If you hadn't fired me, I would have gone with you and been eaten by the cannibals."
