The Scarf
The burgundy scarf, as I remember it. Image generated with AI.
Whenever I am at corporate events or gatherings with my employees, I involuntarily remember the story of the scarf.
We had a Director named Oleg, who came to consulting from industry, a man in the prime of his life, an established manager from a large industrial holding company. Oleg possessed truly Carlson-like charm, subtly sensed the vibrations of the political strings within our global organization, and skillfully juggled neuro-linguistic programming techniques.
Quite quickly and smoothly, like a scalpel, he entered our small but close-knit team of supply chain management (SCM) followers. Oleg had a directive management style, preserved from his military past, artificial emotions, and a desire to keep his distance from the workforce. These qualities never allowed him to achieve total leadership within our circle.
So, our whole friendly team decided to go to a restaurant, to chat about academic topics related to supply chains and, at the same time, celebrate the arrival from the homeland of Bosch and Bruegel of our long-time colleague and inspiration, old Bogdan. In general, to “work” on strengthening connections within the team in order to maintain spirit and optimism for future achievements.
The proactive youngsters, Masha and Sergey, took responsibility for organizing the event. They booked a place and notified everyone by email, but due to their inexperience they forgot the most important thing: to agree on financing for the dinner with one of the managers in accordance with Big Four policies. Only a manager could pay for the dinner from the practice funds specially allocated for the good cause of team building.
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The event went very well, and even Bogdan did not let us down. He delighted us with his company, which was a great rarity and a stroke of luck for the entire team.
Everyone gradually began to leave, and the bill was brought to us. The remaining management continued their unhurried conversation. No one responded to the waiter’s questioning look with a decisive movement of a credit card. Masha and Sergey began shifting nervously in their chairs, realizing the possible consequences and not understanding what to do next.
Bogdan and our Leader, Inna, had already left the restaurant, suspecting nothing, and the guys moved on to decisive action. They asked Misha, the Senior Manager who remained at the table:
“Will you pay the bill?”
Misha, being a man inoculated with the serum of precise planning and flawless organization of work on difficult projects with tough metallurgists, expressed surprise and confusion.
The money for the event had not been agreed in advance and, accordingly, had not been transferred to his card, while the restaurant bill showed a substantial amount. The youngsters became even more nervous, anticipating that they would have to finance the entire evening out of their own pockets.
Oleg caught this conversation with his back to the team and in the middle of the final stage of getting dressed. He had just put on his coat and was slowly and ceremoniously wrapping a burgundy scarf around his well-groomed neck. At the moment the question was asked, Oleg’s rotational movements received additional acceleration from his hands. The scarf began rapidly making circles around the Director’s retracting neck, emphasizing its owner’s immediate desire to get outside into the fresh air, away from the discussion of the financial issue.
So Misha had to rescue the unfortunate fellows. Although in terms of seniority and wealth he was below Oleg, he had a kind heart and never abandoned his own people in trouble.
And I remembered Oleg’s scarf forever, as a symbol of an indifferent attitude toward employees and detached arrogance.
