Exit Strategy

Don't you hate going to the lil mini-Starbucks that are popping up everywhere? Barely more than a kiosk, many are lacking the obligatory blond wood, or even the requisiste Sarah McLachlan, Diana Krall or Verve catalog on shuffle. So the other day I'm in my least fave Starbucks--which, of course is a kiosk and the one closest to where I live--and two women, uber-corporate types, are standing in front of me. Well, next to me, the joint is so tiny, there is barely room for the "condiment" bar.

First Woman: "You know that guy I hired several months ago, Christian? He's resigned."

Second Woman: "Really? Why? I thought it was a fit."

They stop and retrieve their drinks. This takes a minute, because their orders were quite produced: double shot, no whip cappucinos, soy skim lattes ... basically, just brown air. Then, they went to the "condiment" bar.

FW: "Apparently not. He told me that we do not have a STRATEGY."

SW: "That was presumptive. What did you say?"

FW: "I told him that our operation was focused and goal-oriented and yes, we did have a strategy. I explained that to him over lunch. But he told me ... if it took an hour to explain our corporate mission and strategy ... WE DID NOT HAVE ONE."

So this week's password is .. strategy.