Leading From The Top… And The Bottom

I work for a large company that has a dozen offices around the country. The CEO of the entire company is being given a tour of our site, the newest in the organization. As a department manager, I am expected to be present for the tour and to answer questions.

My Manager: “Remember, this is [CEO]. He’s very serious and very smart. You have to show the utmost professionalism around him.”

Me: “Noted.”

My Manager: “I mean it. No jokes, no cute anecdotes, nothing. Just straight facts and direct answers.”

Me: “You got it.”

The day of the tour comes around, and the CEO’s tour has reached my department. My manager and the CEO are walking around my employees and their desks.

CEO: “Once you’ve completed [task], then what?”

Me: “Then it gets sent to the processing team, who are actually on a different floor. If you’d follow me.”

The three of us get into the elevator to meet the processing team.

CEO: “I noticed you used the latest version of [Software]. Is that because of the real-time collaboration functionality caused by your team being split over two floors?”

Me: “Yes, that’s exactly why. Very astute of you, [CEO].”

CEO: *Starts giggling.* “Hehe. Astute. Sounds like a** toot. A** toot, like a little fart.”

The elevator doors open to the other floor, and [CEO] steps out, asking questions as if nothing had happened. My manager and I had to pause for a moment to share a “did that just happen” look before catching up with him and resuming answering his questions.