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The Third Simple Shift	Share this parable with a friend

The Executive began. "Although I eventually did well, I didn't start out so good. I used to be known as the worst manager in the entire corporation. I managed a group of just twelve people but the turnover was embarrassing. Employees would constantly complain about me behind my back. I could tell my boss was getting frustrated. But I guess he must have thought I had some redeeming qualities because he sent me to classes on supervision and leadership and effectiveness training. I attended workshops on team-building and emotional intelligence. But nothing seemed to be clicking. After a while, I started getting nervous that my boss would soon give up on me."

The young man contemplated what the Executive had just told him. He said, "But clearly, everything changed. What happened?"

"Your father happened," the Executive replied. "From the first day I met him, I had this uncanny feeling that he was going to teach me the things I needed to learn. Things I wouldn't learn anywhere else.

"He taught me things that I don't think anybody else is teaching.

"And he has this great way of paring things down to their core, to their essence — making everything really simple."

The Executive looked at the young man. "From that point forward, there was no looking back. Before I knew it, I had gained a reputation throughout the corporation for turning 'problem' employees into stars. Instead of wanting to quit my department, now people wanted to be part of my team. As time went on, I started getting responsibility for more and more. And next thing I knew, I was running the whole company."

The Executive smoothed back his wet hair. "Today, as I look back, I realize that your father had a huge influence, not only on my life, but also on thousands of other lives. And most of them don't know the hand your father had in changing their lives."

The young man pursed his lips. "Which people?"

"Everyone who has been in my life in recent years. My wife, my children. My mother certainly. My boss. And all the thousands of employees in the company I now run. The only reason I've been able to influence the lives of all these people is because of your father's influence."

The young man stood quietly for a moment, his lower lip quivering. Here's another group of people that Father influenced without ever meeting them!

Aloud, he asked, "Can you tell me about how my father influenced the lives of your employees?"

The Executive nodded. "That started one rainy afternoon, not unlike today —"

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