Tom had always thought his boss was a complete imbecile. The guy never seemed to have any idea what he was doing and was constantly making ridiculous decisions that put the company in jeopardy. Yet despite all of this, Tom still found himself showing up to work each and every day. He had bills to pay and a family to support, after all. If he quit, he'd be out of work for months and his savings would dry up.
One day, Tom was working late in the office, trying to finish up a big project that his boss had left unfinished. He had just finished putting in some extra hours when he noticed his boss stumble into the room. The guy was clearly drunk and could barely keep his eyes open wreaking of alcohol. Tom took a deep breath and prepared for yet another ridiculous interaction with his boss.
But then something unexpected happened. His boss stumbled over to Tom and plopped down in a nearby chair. "You know Tom," he slurred, "if it weren't for you, this place would have fallen apart ages ago. You're the only one keeping things together."
Tom was shocked. He had never heard his boss say anything remotely positive about his work before. "Uh, thanks," he stammered.
His boss nodded and leaned in closer. "You know, sometimes I wonder how I got this job. I don't know the first thing about running a company. But I guess that's why I hired you. You're the smart one. The one who really knows what's going on."
Tom was flabbergasted. He had spent years thinking his boss was an idiot, only to discover that he had been underestimating the man all along. Maybe he wasn't a business genius, but he clearly had some appreciation for the people who kept things running.
As Tom walked out of the office that night, he couldn't help but feel a little humbled. He had spent years thinking he was smarter than his boss, only to discover that the he was smarter then his boss. Maybe it wasn't the most elegant management style, but it was effective in its own way. Tom knew that, stupid or not, his boss had taught him a valuable lesson. ‘That a drunk mind speaks sober thoughts’.