There was a loud, demanding voice coming from down the hall in the middle of the morning, when things were bustling at work. “Hey there, little Johnny!” “Now!” I said in my office. There was no doubt about the tone: it was severe, no-nonsense, and plainly not in the mood for delays. When Little Johnny jumped up from his desk, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and looked.
Johnny straightened up straight, put on his name tag, and said, “Yes, sir!” as he hurried to the boss’s office. He could see his employer through the door. He was in his 40s and had a problematic forehead. He had a coffee cup that said “World’s Okayest Boss.” The mug was still there, but the furrow had turned into a full-on frown.
The manager remarked, trying not to sound too irritated, “Johnny, I just had a customer leave here with a red face and say you argued with him.” Can you tell me what that was about?
Johnny blinked, not sure but polite. “I don’t think I yelled or did anything wrong, sir.”
“That’s not the point!” To illustrate his point, the boss yelled and hit the desk with his palm. “The customer is always right here.” The fundamental guideline for the business is that the customer is always right. He leaned forward and took a good look. “Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Johnny shook his head. “Yes, sir.” “The customer is always right.”
There was a pause in the discourse. The boss crossed his arms and felt good for a moment. “Okay. So, if you get that, why did you fight with him in the first place?
Johnny’s face stayed innocent, maybe too innocent. He answered in a calm voice, “Well, sir, the customer said you were an idiot and stupid.”
The boss’s eyes got bigger. He made his body stronger. “He said what?”
Johnny didn’t move. “He said you were dumb and an idiot.” Sir, word for word.
The boss blinked, and his cheeks turned a little red. It was impossible to tell if he was angry or embarrassed. He said gently, “Unbelievable.” He shook his head and made a sound that was mournful. “Some of these customers really don’t know when to stop.” You know, people should show some respect.
Then he looked Johnny straight in the eye and spoke in a softer, more serious voice. “That’s OK. What did you say to him?
Johnny stood up straight and said, “I told him… he’s right.”
The room was completely silent for a while. The boss was stunned and speechless as they both took in the answer.
The boss said again, slowly, “You told him… he’s right,” as if he were trying to figure out if Johnny had just insulted him by agreeing with the customer.
Johnny nodded with all his might. “Yes, sir.” I reasoned, “If the customer is always right and he calls you dumb and stupid, then…” I couldn’t argue with it.
There was a pause. His lips were stiff, his jaw was taut, and his eye twitched for a second. You could practically hear the gears moving in his head as he tried to figure out if he should be upset or impressed.
He finally dropped back in his chair, sighed a long time, and picked up his cold coffee. He shook his head and said “Johnny” quietly to himself. “Get out of my office.”
Johnny nodded in a friendly way. “Yes, sir.” I’m glad we were able to work that out.
He then turned around and walked back to his desk, which made his boss even more confused. He had just learned that following the rules at work might not always be the best thing to do with Little Johnny.
