| No, don't worry, this isn't that kind of topic. I'm talking | | | | have played such a silly game when the |
| about a concept that is important if you are playing | | | | consequences were so huge. |
| poker. Oh wait, that's in the process of being outlawed | | | | You see, what I failed to find out was that I was a |
| as well. Too bad, the point is important and I think it will | | | | shoe-in for employee of the year. I had no idea that |
| help a lot of you make some better decisions in your | | | | this was the case. All it would have taken was a pat |
| lives. Poker is good at helping you to learn how to | | | | on the back and recognition that I'd been busting my |
| evaluate a decision correctly. | | | | behind for the company during the previous year and |
| The Business Situation | | | | I'd probably still be there now. So, while I am saddened |
| First, let me lay out the business decision that led me | | | | when I look back on events, all I can do is try to help |
| to make a large mistake. I had just had a very | | | | other people avoid such mistakes. Don't play cute |
| successful year and it was annual review time. I knew | | | | games during employee review season. Don't jump |
| I had stepped up to fill a role above mine in the org | | | | and run without taking a careful look around and truly |
| chart and had done a fantastic job in the process. | | | | evaluating the situation. |
| However, at my review my boss told me that I would | | | | Live And Learn |
| just be getting an average review, due to policy limits | | | | I was young and a bit hot-headed then. Heck, I'm sure I |
| on giving out good ratings. | | | | still am a bit more fiery than some people. It's part of |
| I flipped out and left the company. Basically, my boss | | | | my character. Anyway, to get back on topic, in terms |
| was a complete idiot and mishandled the situation and | | | | of poker, I should have protected my pot. Though I |
| so did I. I won't detail the place, the people involved, the | | | | thought I had a losing hand the pot was so valuable I |
| financial issues involved or anything like that. However, I | | | | should have stayed in the game a little longer and paid |
| will say this was before the dot com meltdown and | | | | to see a few more cards. |
| involved stock options and so forth. | | | | My life would be very different now if I had. Again, |
| Evaluating The Situation | | | | from the business perspective, many things in life are |
| You see, in poker terms, both my boss and myself | | | | able to be applied to on-the-job situations. We shouldn't |
| failed to evaluate the pot correctly. Instead of folding, | | | | be too quick to eliminate tools and learning aids from |
| leaving the company, I should have called and played | | | | our lives. We should be more open to accepting that |
| out my hand. I should have tried a bit harder to get a | | | | most activities, even poker, have something to teach |
| look at some more cards. At the same time, my boss | | | | us about life. |
| should have been more forthcoming and should not | | | | |