THE IMPATIENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND THE TRACTOR

Mark Price, former MD of Waitrose, shares his workplace fables – true stories from the business front line that can teach us lessons about career success

The situation was similar to his journey that morning

The Impatient Chief Executive was being driven to visit an underperforming business. He was very frustrated to be held up by a tractor on the road ahead. The long queue of cars behind it and the windy roads made it impossible to overtake.

“I’m going to be late,” the Impatient Chief Executive growled to his driver. “Why didn’t you take the faster motorway route?”

“I’m sorry, sir. I thought this way would be more scenic. I can’t go any faster,” the driver replied.

The Impatient Chief Executive finally arrived at his destination and started his individual meetings with the department heads. He asked each one why they hadn’t done this, that and the other to make the business better.

One after another they replied that they had sent requests for funding to Across a desk pulled high with papers, the Finance Director argued that it took time to make these decisions; there was only so much money, and more information was required.

As he drove back to the office, on clear roads this time, the Impatient Chief Executive pondered on the issue.

Thanks to the time the Finance Director was taking to make a decision, his business was grinding to a halt. It occurred to him that the situation in this under-performing division was very similar to his journey that morning.

He phoned the Finance Director on his return and asked if he could speed up. “I’m doing the best I can,” the finance man replied. “That’s exactly what I was afraid of. You’re fired,” said the Impatient Chief Executive, ending the call.