The new CEO decided it was time to get rid of the “slackers.”
On his first week at the company, he walked through the building with a notebook in his hand, looking for anyone who appeared unproductive.
He wanted everyone to know there was a new boss in town.
As he walked through the warehouse, he spotted a young man leaning casually against a wall.
The CEO stopped.
The young man looked up.
“How much do you make a week?” the CEO demanded.
The young man looked confused.
“About $400.”
The CEO pulled out his wallet.
“Here’s four weeks’ pay.”
He counted out $1,600 in cash and shoved it into the man’s hands.
“Take it and get out.”
The young man stared at the money.
“But—”
“Don’t argue with me,” the CEO snapped.
“Now get out, and don’t come back.”
The young man shrugged, pocketed the cash, and walked out.
The CEO smiled proudly.
He turned toward the employees.
“See?” he said.
“This is what happens when people are lazy. I won’t tolerate it.”
Nobody said a word.
The CEO looked around.
“Does anyone want to tell me what that guy actually did here?”
A voice from across the warehouse answered:
“Sure.”
The CEO turned.
The employee continued:
“He was the Domino’s pizza delivery guy.”
The entire room went silent.
Then someone started laughing.
Another employee covered his mouth.
Within seconds, the entire warehouse was roaring.
The CEO’s face turned bright red.
He had just fired a man who didn’t even work there.
And worse?
He had proudly paid him four weeks’ severance for a job he’d never held.
The CEO slowly looked toward the door.
The pizza delivery driver was already gone.
Someone finally said:
“Should we tell him the guy was delivering lunch?”
The CEO closed his eyes.
That was his first week as CEO.
And somehow, he’d already become the company’s favorite joke.
But the story didn’t end there.
Because the following morning, the CEO walked into the conference room expecting everyone to forget the incident.
Instead, sitting on the table was a large pizza box.
On it was a handwritten note:
“Thanks for the four weeks’ pay.”
Underneath it:
“Best tip I’ve ever received.”
The CEO stared at it.
Then, for the first time since taking the job, he laughed at himself.
He called the pizza company.
“Is your delivery driver available?”
The receptionist asked why.
The CEO sighed.
“I owe him an apology.”
And from that day forward, he learned the most important lesson of his new position:
Never judge someone’s job—or their work ethic—before you know why they’re standing there.
Because sometimes the person who looks like a slacker…
isn’t even your employee.
