The Suggestion Box

Just too much of a temptation

Allied United Insurance was just large enough to have vice presidents but small enough to have executive open-door policies. Unfortunately, few people ever used the policy since its inception.

However, they gave employees an alternative. If folks didn’t feel comfortable having a one on one chat with an executive, they could drop a note in the Suggestion Box. The Suggestion Box near the copiers never really got emptied because few people ever slipped anything into it.

All suggestions were anonymous, unless the suggester wanted it known. But, depending on the suggestion, most in the company would know who proposed the idea.

The Box lay dormant for months until Guy Stettler decided to do something about it. He wanted to get management’s attention without bringing undue attention to himself, so he made one small change in the copy room.

It took about a week before others began to notice the change.

Jett Marone, VP of Human Resources was the first in management to notice it. He ripped the piece of paper from the box, returned to his office, and within 30 minutes the entire Senior Leadership Team met in the Executive conference room for a closed door session.

The CEO, President, VPs of Human Resources, Finance & Accounting, Technology, Sales and Marketing, and Customer Service gathered.

Jett Marone was the first to speak, “Let’s be honest here, I’m pretty sure it was Guy Stettler that did it. Practical joker. Always pranking.  I think we reprimand him and put a letter in his file.”

“You can’t be serious, Jett.” CEO Mathers said.

“Very serious, sir. It’s disrespectful, childish, sarcastic, and completely unprofessional,” Jett said.

“And true?” President Albany asked.

The Team focused their eyes on the President.

“Well, is it?” he asked again.

“Sir, with all due respect…” Jett said.

“Is it true, Jett? Is what Stettler or whoever wrote true?”

Silence.

President Albany punched a few buttons on the conference room phone, told his assistant to track down Stettler, and ask him to come to conference room.

A few minutes later, Guy Stettler walked into the room after being motioned in by one of the execs through the all-glass walls.

 “Have a seat, Guy,” the President said.

Stettler sat down but his eyes darted around the conference table. His eyes asked the question, ‘Why was I being called into a room full of executives?’

 “Mr. Stettler, did you write and post this?” Jett asked holding up the one-page printed piece of paper.

Guy again looked around at the executives in the conference room and took a gulp.

“I’ll ask again, Mr. Stettler.”

“No need to, sir. Yes and no. No, I didn’t write it, per se, I merely transferred it.”

“Semantics,” VP Marone said.

“Brilliant,” said CEO Mathers. “Just brilliant if you ask me.”

Guy’s eyes widened at first and then narrowed. He cleared his throat and said, “How so, sir?”

“Guy, your humor is subtle. I like that. We’re now in a conference room talking about what you did. Over the past 3 years I’ve been here, we haven’t had a new idea in the company. Oh, everyone has ideas all right, but what you did tells me you think our ideas go to waste. Is that true?”

Guy smiled. “Quite honestly, I don’t know what happens with ideas that are submitted. Nobody does. And nobody knows how many ideas are actually submitted or implemented.”

“And that’s a problem, isn’t it?” asked CEO Mathers.

“Yes, sir. It is.” Guy said.

“Do you have ideas you’d like to see implemented?”

“Uh, yes sir. And a few of my immediate co-workers also have them. We could flood your, uh, old Suggestion Box if we knew people would actually take seriously.”

“Thank you, Guy. You’ve been most helpful to the Team here. We’ll let you know if we need anything else.”

The rest of the Team thanked Guy as he left the room.

Jett Marone was the first to speak after the door closed, “Okay, I concede. The Suggestion Box sign on the paper shredder was good. Perhaps, though…perhaps we should move the shredder so it’s not so close to the real suggestion box. That way it’s not a temptation next time.”

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