Who's been kicking your cat?

Mr B called a meeting one day and told all of his people that the company was doing well but could be doing a lot better, and he felt he hadn’t been pulling his weight. From now on he would be there early and stay late. He’d take short coffee and lunch breaks. He’d be focused and available. He would set an example and he expected everyone else to follow his lead.

It was an inspiring speech. And he really intended to do all of it.


A couple of weeks later he was at the country club for lunch and forgot the time. Realising he was going to be late back to the office he jumped in his car and sped down the road doing 90 miles an hour. He was stopped by the police and given a speeding ticket and he drove to the office fuming. “Why aren’t they out catching criminals instead of picking on me? They should leave us peaceful tax paying citizens alone!”


He got into the office still furious and called in his sales manager.” What’s happening with the new account? You should have closed it a dozen times by now. You’ve been the sales manager here for 16 years but that doesn’t mean you’ve got a lifetime contract. If you can’t do it, let me tell you I’ll get someone who can.”


Oh, Mr B was upset.


But if you think he was upset, you should have seen that sales manager.


He was furious. Why, he’d worked for this company for 16 years, brought in all this business, and kept the place going. If it hadn’t been for him the company would have gone bankrupt years ago.


He called his secretary. “What’s happening with the account?”


She replied that she’d been working on three or four other things that he had told her took precedent.


“Don’t give me excuses!” he raged. “I want the account taken care of, and those letters sent out today. Just because you’ve worked here for eight years doesn’t mean you’ve got a lifetime contract. If you can’t do it, let me tell you I’ll get someone who can.”


He was really upset.


But if you think he was upset, you should have seen that secretary.


“Why, I’ve worked here for eight years, kept this place running. If it weren’t for me the company would have gone bankrupt years ago. Who does he think he’s kidding, replace me?”


The secretary went to the switchboard operator. “Look, I know it’s not normally your job but I’m telling you right now these letters have to go out tonight and you’ll have to do them. You just sit around here doing nothing all day anyway. Just because you’ve worked here for ten years doesn’t mean you’ve got a lifetime contract. If you can’t do it, let me tell you I’ll get someone who can.”


Oh she was upset alright.


But you think she was upset, you should have seen that switchboard operator.


“Why I’m the glue that holds this company together. If it weren’t for me this company would have gone down the tube years ago. I’m worked to death out here and they’re sitting around drinking coffee and gossiping all day. And then they dump their stuff on me.”


She was furious.


She got home and the first thing she saw was her 12 year old son lying on the floor watching TV with a big rip in his trousers. “I thought I told you to change as soon as you get home. Have you done your homework? No? That’s it. No supper for you and no TV for a month.”


Oh she was upset.


But if you think she was upset, you should have seen her son.


“Why, here I am minding my own business and she takes her bad mood out on me. Why can’t she pick on someone else for a change? It was an accident. I didn’t mean to rip my trouser but she’s not even given me the chance to explain.”


He was mad.


And about that time, his cat walked in front of him.


Big mistake.


He swung his foot at the cat.


“You’ve probably been up to no good yourself.”

****

So folks, let me ask you.


Wouldn’t it have been better if Mr B had gone directly from the country club to that switch operator’s house and kicked that cat himself?


Ask yourself...


Whose cat have I been kicking today?
Or who’s been kicking my cat?


Next time someone peeps their horn at you the minute the traffic light changes to green, or your partner jumps down your throat the minute they walk in the door, or someone in a customer service post snaps at you and says “Can’t you see I’m busy?”, just remember It’s not your fault.

It’s just that someone has been kicking their cat!

(Paraphrased by yours truly from the book and audio self help program See You At The Top by Zig Ziglar)