Posted on 07/12/24
Adam Platt, a technologist and founder of plattsoft.net, writes about a time when his CEO called for a company-wide meeting to congratulate the group about the good month that they had as a company. The CEO dimmed the conference room lights and told the following story: “When I was a child, I would cut the grass for my father. Back then, we only had a manual lawn mower, which took a lot of effort to push. I would work under the hot sun, cutting every last blade of grass. When my father saw the great work I had done, he would take me to 7-Eleven, hand me a quarter, and I would run to the counter to claim my reward, a Slurpee!”
Platt relates that his CEO used this personal story to show that hard work, indeed, should be rewarded. The CEO went on to say how everyone in the company has been working so hard and is deserving a reward. “Just go to any 7-Eleven,” he said, “and tell them I sent you, and they will give you a free Slurpee in the flavor of your choice!” At first, everyone was so thankful and grateful to the CEO for such an exciting reward. But then, they soon figured out the truth. The day of the meeting was none other than July 11th, or 7/11, which is Free Slurpee Day! The CEO was not really giving them a reward after all; the Slurpee’s would be free anyway!
Platt describes the anger he felt towards his CEO: “There is something about the childhood story that is not stated explicitly but makes all the difference. By giving his son a quarter, the father’s reward involves giving up something he himself had earned. By contrast, the CEO’s reward to us was something we could have had for free anyway. He was not giving up anything of value as part of that reward. This is more like taking the son to 7-Eleven and pulling a half-eaten, discarded Slurpee from the garbage for him to eat…
…Giving up something that has value to reward another shows integrity and builds trust. It sends a strong message that the recipient is valued. By using someone else’s generosity in an attempt to inspire his workers, the CEO really only showed that he was not invested in us. He did not show that he had faith in us. In return, I lost a lot of faith in him as a leader.”
Whether it is a CEO, a spouse, a parent, a friend, or whomever, living with integrity is so imperative and crucial in being able to build trust with others. When the Jewish people wished to travel through the land of Edom, they said (20:17) דרך המלך נלך – “We will go along the King’s road.” Rashi explains: We muzzle our animals, so they shall not veer to either side to eat.
Of course, we know that Edom ultimately refused to allow the Jewish people to pass through their land. However, we still see something amazing from the way Rashi understands “We will go along the King’s road,” namely, that “We muzzle our animals.” The Jewish people are a nation that lives with integrity. We do not even allow our animals to forage into nearby pastures! Of course we can be trusted. Of course we can be relied upon.
Some of the greatest leaders, thinkers, innovators, inventors, and philosophers over the course of history have been Jewish. One of the deep secrets of our greatness lies in the fact that our path along the “King’s road” to greatness dwells within our ability and commitment to “muzzle our animals,” to live with honesty and integrity.
Have a holy Shabbos!