One of my wackiest job duties: Mr. Fill in the Blank!

In my long run with what I call the big company, I was greatly blessed to be provided the opportunity to work myself up from an entry-level clerical job to the department head position running a 150-person computing and telecommunications function for a multi-billion dollar company. This was quite a ride that began in the fall of 1969 and lasted until the spring of 1993. There were some unbelievable experiences along the way and so many wonderful and unforgettable people who became like a second family to me.

One of the people that helped me the most was also the most difficult to work for. His approach to management development was more like survival of the foolish because most people would not have put up with his outbursts, demeaning tirades, and other assorted ravings. Yet, he saw to it that I was promoted time and time again and during the last few years before his retirement I became his right hand person. Many within the department called me his fair-haired boy but I doubt seriously there was anybody else on the planet that could have dealt with all the issues involved in this relationship.

Before taking medical retirement his health was declining and I essentially ran the department on his behalf. We had a unique working relationship that could be called love/hate due to its storminess, however, together we built one of the finest technology programs anywhere within the business world. This is not an exaggeration because it was proven time and time again by independent outside experts. He was hard nosed, loud, usually unreasonable, and always right, no matter what. On the other hand he made sure his top people were well compensated providing top salaries, perks, bonuses, and other incentives. Most of us on the management team believed from his point of view he felt we were paid enough to take what he dished out.

As he became more and more detached from the actual running of the organization he expected me to make sure he was covered at all times. One of the odd things that developed was my role as his fill in the blank person. I attended nearly all meetings with him and whenever he could not recall any particular name or fact he would pause, turn and look at me, and I was expected to be able to say the missing phrase, and once I did he would continue as if he had never paused.

This situation became notoriously well known and people were stunned that we had developed this into a near art form. We might be at a luncheon with senior executives and as he talked if he hit a blank, it was my job to fill it in without missing a beat. He never acknowledged a pause had occurred, once I spoke up, filled in the blank, he kept on talking. It was sort of uncanny and I received many calls from people who greatly sympathized with my plight while also greatly admiring my skill in being able to participate in this routine.

On those rare occasions when I could not guess what he was missing it could get ugly in a heartbeat because he didn’t like me making him look foolish. Didn’t like me making him look foolish? You have to be kidding! What a laugh! Here we were doing a Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis act and he would fume if I missed a line that I had never known was even going to come up. Even the wait staff at the business club where we ate most days chuckled at our antics. Fortunately for me this didn’t happen very often and in the end I was greatly rewarded for all the pressure and tension involved in my fill in the blank efforts.

We had a new senior level executive come in and his desire was to purge the old team and bring in some fresh faces from his previous company. My boss went to work on my behalf, spending the political capital he had left, even to the extent of making his own life very difficult, but was able to get me a hearing which eventuated into me being able to take his place when he retired. He had a bad heart and when he died a few years later my wife and I attended his memorial service. Later I wrote a letter to his widow and told her that while he was a very difficult individual and we had experienced plenty of ups and downs, that I would never forget his actions on my behalf, especially in doing what he did to give me a shot at the department head position.

Let me be clear, I wouldn’t wish this fill in the blank job on anyone, but looking back it causes me to smile because of all the times we were somehow able to pull it off. Is this a great life or what? More later………