Learning Curve by Michael S. Malone Read Free Book Online Page A

we have. I know all the arguments for keeping them. But I also know the reasons for getting rid of them—and my conclusion is that these second reasons trump the first.”
    Dan felt his stomach drop. “But I built that sales force—Tony D.—”
    â€œThey’ll be fine,” said Cosmo. “As you said, they’re the best in the business. They’ll be hired within a week. Tony D. quicker than that. And hell, we’ll probably hire a bunch of them back as contractors.”
    â€œBut why—?”
    â€œI don’t expect you to understand all my reasoning on this. I’m not sure I do. But Ms. Holmes will go over everything with you on the plane. I hope you’ll be persuaded. But if not, I hope that you’ll at least trust me on this one. I know that the standard response to this kind of change is to quit; but I sincerely hope you won’t do that. You’ve done a brilliant job with this company. And if you continue to stay on, I think your best days at Validator are ahead of you. I don’t want to lose you.”
    Dan slumped back in the booth. He felt wretched, like a man who has just been given notice of a fatal illness. “And if I decide I can’t do this?”
    â€œThen I’ll be both saddened and disappointed. So will your people. And frankly, it would be an incredibly selfish thing for you to do. You may not like this change, but at least you’ll be making it during good times, with your competitors reduced to pygmies. If you really care about your employees, you know that this move will have far less impact on company stock than it would have if you were to quit in a dispute with the chairman. That would crush the value of all of the optioned Validator stock your employees hold.”
    â€œNot to mention yours.”
    â€œNo doubt. And my losses will, with the exception of a few institutional investors, be greater than anyone’s. And yet I’m willing to lose all that because I believe I’ll regain every bit of it back—and significantly more.”
    Easy for you to say, Dan thought. Even in the worst case scenario you’d still be a billionaire . “And in between?” he asked as calmly as possible.
    Cosmo sat back and stared at the ceiling, then looked back down at Dan. “It’ll be rough. A lot of people will see their nest eggs all but disappear. And they’ll all blame you.”
    Dan looked beyond Validator and into the kitchen, where clean-up was underway. Everything else in the world still seemed normal; why was it only crazy here, in this little corner? “And if I decide not to accept that blame?”
    â€œYour departure would be a great loss to the company,” Cosmo said firmly. “And it would be very difficult to fill your position with someone with your ability. And, of course, no one besides me has your understanding of company operations. But, that said, everyone is replaceable.” He smiled knowingly. “Even the founder. And rest assured, whoever the CEO of Validator Software is, they’re going to execute the new strategy.”
    â€œNo doubt.”
    â€œSo the only question is whether that strategy will be executed well, with minimum damage to the company.”
    â€œYou mean the company, with the exception of its sales force,” Dan said. “Because they are on the street tomorrow.”
    â€œYes, but let’s say a month from now. And as I said, they won’t be on that street for long.”
    Dan rubbed his mouth. It was if last night’s dream sequences had never ended. “So that’s it. You hand me a fait accompli, and I have to take it or leave it.”
    â€œYes. Please give Ms. Holmes a fair hearing on the flight back. If I see you at the shareholders meeting, I’ll take that as a sign you’re staying. If I don’t see you, I already have a statement prepared.”
    â€œI’m not surprised.” Dan shook his