Three Envelopes

A fellow had just been hired as the new CEO of a large high tech corporation．The CEO who was stepping down met with him privately and presented him with three numbered envelopes．“Open these if you run up against a problem you don’t think you can solve．”he said．

Well，things went along pretty smoothly．But six months later，sales took a downturn and he was really catching a lot of heat．About at his wit’s end，he remembered the envelopes．He went to his drawer and took out the first envelope．The message read，“Blame your predecessor．”The new CEO called a press conference and tactfully laid the blame at the feet of the previous CEO．Satisfied with his comments，the press—and Wall Street—responded positively．Sales began to pick up and the problem was soon behind him．

About a year later，the company was again experiencing a slight dip in sales，combined with serious product problems．Having learned from his previous experience，the CEO quickly opened the second envelope．The message read，“Reorganize．”This he did，and the company quickly rebounded．

After several consecutive profitable quarters，the company once again fell on difficult times．The CEO went to his office，closed the door and opened the third envelope．The message said，“Prepare three envelopes．”

英語(yǔ)詞匯

1.CEO - 首席執(zhí)行官 (Chief Executive Officer)

2.high tech corporation - 高科技公司

3.stepping down - 卸任

4.envelopes - 信封

5.run up against - 遇到

6.predecessor - 前任

7.sales took a downturn - 銷(xiāo)售額下降

8.catching a lot of heat - 遭受很多批評(píng)

9.at his wit’s end - 無(wú)計(jì)可施

10.press conference - 新聞發(fā)布會(huì)

11.tactfully - 巧妙地

12.rebounded - 反彈

13.profitable quarters - 盈利季度

14.fell on difficult times - 遇到困難時(shí)期

三個(gè)信封

一個(gè)高科技大企業(yè)的首席執(zhí)行官剛剛上任。卸任的首席執(zhí)行官私下里和他會(huì)面，交給他三個(gè)標(biāo)上號(hào)碼的信封，說(shuō)：“當(dāng)你遇到自己認(rèn)為不能解決的問(wèn)題時(shí)，就打開(kāi)信封。”

一切都很順利。但六個(gè)月后，公司的銷(xiāo)售開(kāi)始下降，首席執(zhí)行官實(shí)在感到焦頭爛額。正當(dāng)他無(wú)計(jì)可施的時(shí)候，想起了那三個(gè)信封。他打開(kāi)抽屜，拿出第一個(gè)信封。信里說(shuō)：“把責(zé)任推到前任身上。”新首席執(zhí)行官召開(kāi)了新聞發(fā)布會(huì)，很巧妙地把責(zé)任都推給了前任。新聞界和華爾街對(duì)他的表態(tài)很滿(mǎn)意，并做出了積極的反應(yīng)。于是銷(xiāo)售量上升了，問(wèn)題很快得到解決。

大約一年以后，公司的銷(xiāo)售額又緩慢下降，還伴隨著嚴(yán)重的產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量問(wèn)題。總裁吸取了上次的經(jīng)驗(yàn)，迅速地打開(kāi)第二個(gè)信封。信里說(shuō)：“重組。”他又照此辦理，于是公司的業(yè)績(jī)?cè)俅畏磸棥?/p>

經(jīng)過(guò)連續(xù)幾個(gè)利潤(rùn)豐厚的銷(xiāo)售季節(jié)，公司又一次陷入困境。首席執(zhí)行官走進(jìn)辦公室，關(guān)上門(mén)，打開(kāi)第三個(gè)信封。信里說(shuō)道：“準(zhǔn)備三個(gè)信封。”