After posting a work story about goats I realized that it pretty much distracted from the thread so I thought it would be great to start a different one.
Let's hear you're funny oh, interesting, outrageous work stories dot-dot-dot g, r, x rating doesn't matter let's hear it.
Regarding goats...
Several years ago I worked for a company that built trade show exhibits and did corporate signage / Interiors. My job was procurement and product research. Additionally, they wanted me to use my negotiation skills to review and modify contracts.
So, after a couple of months I realize there was this one company that was screwing us over on pricing. To be honest several companies were. So of course I Cole arvinder and talk to the manager and say " when was the last time we updated our contract?". Come to find out we never have. Of course the next thing I did was review the contract and send over my changes.... which prompted and on-site face-to-face meeting.
Had some language that needed to be changed in addition to pricing. Really, no issue there at all. Basically, I got everything I wanted. At the end of the meeting..." well, is there anything else you want?" My response.. yes, I want a goat".
There was a few moments of dead silence, the look on her face was a bit of a shock and confusion. We're of course I was asked why I wanted a goat. So I explained to her that the people in the back are pretty much all Hispanic/Latino and explain how hard these people work for us, don't ask for anything, will give you the shirt off their back and that without them just business wouldn't survive. Given their culture, they love goat. She then asked did you want a live goat or dead / processed?... I told her it didn't matter, they'd work it out.
So she goes back to the office that work on the contract in a couple of days later I get a call from another manager... Did I hear this right, you want a goat? ... yep.
Couple of weeks later I called to check on the location of my goat and if I was going to get one excetera. Turns out they had zero problem with it they just had to figure out how to do it legally. What we found was they couldn't specifically right goat in the contract but what they could do is a choir said goat and then have a customer appreciation day...
A side note... The owner of the company was such a douchebag that on Thanksgiving instead of providing dinner for us we were allowed to have an extended lunch for which we could do potluck... Seriously multimillion-dollar company can't afford a Thanksgiving appreciation dinner...
Bossman had got wind of what I was doing and told me that he won't be outshined... LOL. Okay. So I proceeded to continue working on getting the goat... LOL
Due to the fact that I really don't care what other people think or say, because I'm a grown ass man, I was not intimidated in the least. So, they started working get rid of me...
Word got around that I was working on getting a goat which prompted a few office visits with the customary handshake pat on the back thank you. But of course I was eventually let go ... the story behind that's actually funny to but get into that later.
So I'm gone in about a month or so later I get a phone call from the HR manager, a few other former employees explaining how the customer appreciation day went.
Keep in mind every single person in the shop and in the offices knew exactly why where and how this day came to be. The little pipsqueak owner got up and took all credit for it expecting everybody to stand up and cheer... Nope
You know how I am when somebody gives a speech that is boring, stupid, lawn lended or unproductive where there's a few slow "wow" customary claps... That.
Oh, why I got fired dot-dot-dot I made the owner look incompetent, his assistant looking confident, the director informant of my department looking confident. Additionally I shipped and the owners contract, save them $60,000. Rest of that year, improved I can track inventory down to the screw, nail, even literally drop of paint.
Moral of the story... if you're not going to be willing to fight for your team who's going to be willing to fight for you. Never be afraid to take a bullet for your team.
Let's hear you're funny oh, interesting, outrageous work stories dot-dot-dot g, r, x rating doesn't matter let's hear it.
Regarding goats...
Several years ago I worked for a company that built trade show exhibits and did corporate signage / Interiors. My job was procurement and product research. Additionally, they wanted me to use my negotiation skills to review and modify contracts.
So, after a couple of months I realize there was this one company that was screwing us over on pricing. To be honest several companies were. So of course I Cole arvinder and talk to the manager and say " when was the last time we updated our contract?". Come to find out we never have. Of course the next thing I did was review the contract and send over my changes.... which prompted and on-site face-to-face meeting.
Had some language that needed to be changed in addition to pricing. Really, no issue there at all. Basically, I got everything I wanted. At the end of the meeting..." well, is there anything else you want?" My response.. yes, I want a goat".
There was a few moments of dead silence, the look on her face was a bit of a shock and confusion. We're of course I was asked why I wanted a goat. So I explained to her that the people in the back are pretty much all Hispanic/Latino and explain how hard these people work for us, don't ask for anything, will give you the shirt off their back and that without them just business wouldn't survive. Given their culture, they love goat. She then asked did you want a live goat or dead / processed?... I told her it didn't matter, they'd work it out.
So she goes back to the office that work on the contract in a couple of days later I get a call from another manager... Did I hear this right, you want a goat? ... yep.
Couple of weeks later I called to check on the location of my goat and if I was going to get one excetera. Turns out they had zero problem with it they just had to figure out how to do it legally. What we found was they couldn't specifically right goat in the contract but what they could do is a choir said goat and then have a customer appreciation day...
A side note... The owner of the company was such a douchebag that on Thanksgiving instead of providing dinner for us we were allowed to have an extended lunch for which we could do potluck... Seriously multimillion-dollar company can't afford a Thanksgiving appreciation dinner...
Bossman had got wind of what I was doing and told me that he won't be outshined... LOL. Okay. So I proceeded to continue working on getting the goat... LOL
Due to the fact that I really don't care what other people think or say, because I'm a grown ass man, I was not intimidated in the least. So, they started working get rid of me...
Word got around that I was working on getting a goat which prompted a few office visits with the customary handshake pat on the back thank you. But of course I was eventually let go ... the story behind that's actually funny to but get into that later.
So I'm gone in about a month or so later I get a phone call from the HR manager, a few other former employees explaining how the customer appreciation day went.
Keep in mind every single person in the shop and in the offices knew exactly why where and how this day came to be. The little pipsqueak owner got up and took all credit for it expecting everybody to stand up and cheer... Nope
You know how I am when somebody gives a speech that is boring, stupid, lawn lended or unproductive where there's a few slow "wow" customary claps... That.
Oh, why I got fired dot-dot-dot I made the owner look incompetent, his assistant looking confident, the director informant of my department looking confident. Additionally I shipped and the owners contract, save them $60,000. Rest of that year, improved I can track inventory down to the screw, nail, even literally drop of paint.
Moral of the story... if you're not going to be willing to fight for your team who's going to be willing to fight for you. Never be afraid to take a bullet for your team.