Surviving a sudden corporate promotion requires sharp professional instincts, but surviving a massive slip of the tongue in front of the CEO requires Olympic-level mental gymnastics.
A young executive was called into the executive suite, where his boss beamed with pride. “Congratulations, Jenkins! I’m transferring you north to manage our flagship Montreal office!”
Instead of celebrating, Jenkins grimaced. “Oh, man… Montreal? With all due respect, sir, that place is a cultural wasteland. There’s nothing up there but aggressive hockey players and cheap bar girls.”
The boss’s smile instantly vanished, replaced by a terrifying, icy glare. “I’ll have you know, Jenkins, that my beloved mother happens to be a proud native of Montreal.”
The temperature in the room dropped to absolute zero. Realizing his entire career was flashing before his eyes, Jenkins didn’t skip a beat, looked his boss dead in the eye, and asked:
“No kidding, sir? That’s incredible! What team did she play for?”
