Anybody heard this joke before?
It’s time for a new person to be the CEO.
During a meeting, the outgoing CEO mentions: “I’ve prepared 3 envelopes for you. Here they are, but don’t open them yet. If you ever get into problems, open the first envelope. If you have further trouble, open the second envelope. If you have even more trouble, open the third envelope. Each envelope contains suggestions telling you what to do to get through a crisis. Good luck!”
At first, the new CEO does well, as the company’s employees eagerly help him learn the ropes and give him the benefit of the doubt. But after that honeymoon period, things start going downhill.
So opens the first envelope. It contains these words of advice: “Blame your predecessor.” He’s so happy to read those words, because they’re so right! He tells the employees and stockholders that the company’s problems are just the delayed consequences of the mistakes that his predecessor made, and he’ll usher in the dawn of a new, better era. That pep talk works. Everybody is inspired by his gung-ho forward-looking attitude, and the company improves. But eventually, things start going downhill again.
So the CEO goes to his desk drawer and opens the second envelope. It contains the suggestion: “Reorganize the company.” He’s so happy to read those words, because they’re so right! He fires the employees who are deadwood and invents new ways of managing everything. That improves the company. But inevitably, things start going downhill again.
So he returns to his executive suite to open the third envelope. It says: “Prepare three new envelopes.”