Chapter 27 - the employee who refused my money
The first employee to receive shares was a woman named Teresa.
She had worked for the company for twenty-six years.
When I told her, she shook her head.
“I can't accept this.”
“Why?”
“Because I didn't earn it.”
“You worked here for twenty-six years.”
“That was my job.”
I smiled.
“My father believed people should have something to show for giving their lives to a company.”
She still hesitated.
“Is this guilt?”
“No.”
“Then what is it?”
“Respect.”
She looked at the papers.
Then she began to cry.
“My husband used to say your father was the only executive who knew everyone's name.”
I swallowed.
“I didn't know that.”
“You should.”
She signed.
That evening, I added another rule to the trust.
Employees could never be forced to sell their shares to management.
They could sell them at fair market value.
Or keep them.
Their choice.
It seemed small.
May you like
But I had learned that the most important changes were often the ones that gave people choices they hadn't had before.
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