Bob the Stunned Manager got into his car and drove to the office. He slowly walked down the seemingly endless corridor that led to the Human Resources Department. All the while, Dave’s last words rang through his mind: “…companies simply can’t afford to have any last-minute managers in their ranks.”
I’m a competent manager, Bob thought. I know this business inside and out. They need me here.
Bob stepped into the HRD offices and waited for the Director to finish a phone call. He was escorted into her office and the door was closed.
“I’m sorry to hear that things aren’t going well for you right now, Bob,” the Director offered. “You’ve been here for quite some time. We all like you and would hate to see you go.”
“I thought I’d be here forever,” Bob admitted candidly.
The Director did what she could to offer encouragement. “Because Dave cares about people like you and wants good citizens also to be good performers, he has hired a new person in a brand-new position who will be able to help you become on-time and on-target. It’s our belief that performance can be improved. In order to achieve that goal, you will have to go through The Process.”
No mistake about it. Bob distinctly heard the capital letters in the phrase “The Process.”
“What is ‘The Process,’ if I might ask?”
“Well, you will have to meet several times with the CEO and go through a certain process designed to—”
“The CEO?” Bob interrupted. “I have to meet with Dave? He’s the one who sent me to meet with you.”
The HR Director smiled. “I’m not talking about that CEO.”
“Is there any other kind?” Bob wondered aloud.
“There is now. It’s the Chief Effectiveness Officer.”
Bob was mystified. “Chief Effectiveness Officer? I’ve never heard of such a thing.” Is Algalon becoming some kind of cult? he questioned silently.
The HR Director continued, “The reason you’ve never heard of this position is probably because it was created just a few weeks ago.”
“What exactly does this new kind of CEO do?” Bob queried.
“Our CEO’s goal is to help good people like you improve performance by evaluating you in terms of the Three P’s. Do you understand them? Do you apply them in your daily life at home and on the job? Are you willing to work on your performance challenges, or will you continue to be a last-minute manager?”
Spooky, Bob thought. Dave used those same words: “last-minute manager.”
The HR Director went on, “You see, at Algalon, we are clearly seeing that our success is dependent upon every member of the team thinking and acting like an owner. If everyone is constantly looking farther up the hierarchy for decision-making, our customers will not be well served. So your ability to make key decisions on your own at crucial moments in time will be essential to our ongoing success. The Three P Strategy will empower you to meet that objective.”
“What are the Three P’s?” Bob asked.
“You’ll find out when you meet with the CEO,” the HR Director answered. “Are you free anytime tomorrow?”
“Yes. Early morning is best for me.”
The HR Director dialed the CEO’s extension and scheduled a meeting for Bob at 8 A.M. “I think Bob will benefit from The Process,” the HR Director added. “He has the right heart but his performance record here is not up to par. We hope you can get him on track to being an on-time, on-target manager. That will probably involve giving him a checkup.”
Bob couldn’t help but wonder what the HR Director meant by that last comment. When the call ended, he asked, “Do I have to undergo a physical exam tomorrow?”
The HR Director chuckled. “No, not at all. It all has to do with your beliefs. You see, we have come to the conclusion that beliefs drive behavior, and if you’re not getting the desired results, it can probably be traced to a lousy belief. The CEO will help you look at any flawed beliefs so you can become an on-time, on-purpose person. If she can do that, the chances for erasing this probation from your record will be outstanding.”
Bob pondered her statements for a moment, then asked, “Do I need to do anything to prepare for the meeting? Should I bring anything with me?”
“No,” replied the HR Director. “Just be on time.”
When Bob got home, his wife looked at her husband’s face and immediately sensed that something was wrong.
“I was put on probation,” Bob confessed.
“You’re not going to lose your job, are you?” she asked nervously.
“I don’t think so…as long as I can become an on-time, on-target manager—as they refer to it.”
“How do you do that?” Bob’s wife asked.
“My understanding is that I have to schedule several meetings with the CEO.”
“You’re going to be meeting with Dave Pederson?”
Bob grinned. “Yeah, that’s what I thought, too. The CEO I’ll be meeting with is actually the Chief Effectiveness Officer.”
“The Chief what?”
“Effectiveness Officer. I know, I know. I’ve never heard of that either. And I have only a vague understanding of what she does. It has something to do with reviewing my thinking—the beliefs I have.”
Bob’s wife was relieved. “It’ll be a piece of cake, then. That’s why I married you. I love your positive thinking. You always seem to stay upbeat.”
“I hope I can this time, too,” Bob said with a smile. “But there’s some mystery involved. She’s going to tell me all about the Three P’s, and I have no idea what that means.”
“You’ll find out soon enough, I guess.”