I’m buried deep in assembling a monstrous PowerPoint deck when I hear a knock on the door. I turn and try to make out who is peering in. It’s Mike. He pops his head in like an eager puppy, “Hey got a minute?” “No,” I say, “I’m about to meet with Olivier on social selling.” “Oh ok, I was just going to talk to you about that and share it with Jim.” Perfect timing since you declined my meeting.

I wander down the hall to Olivier’s desk. I’ve been mildly dreading this meeting. Between his French accent, Peter Fisk metaphors and demand for innovation, I seem to be off target most of the time understanding what he wants from me. Then there’s of course the time I called him out on his LinkedIn profile which he won’t forget. I wonder if he’ll bring it up this time.

I try to peer into the closed blinds and can’t see a thing. I sigh and open the door. Ghost town. I consider waiting in his office like a loser but then opt to sit outside in the row of chairs, arranged like at a doctor’s office. An abandoned mini fridge and latte machine are pushed to the corner of the hall. Up for grabs? To be honest, I’ve gotten used to being stood up. It’s the culture of this place. Meetings are the currency for “work” around here. The funny thing is I was going to thank Oliver for always being so generous with his time. Hah! He’s not well liked around here, mainly for his entrepreneurial style. You know the drill – ideas, innovation incubation, churn, repeat. I’ve learned the hard way, but I’ve learned my lesson – be careful spouting off your ideas. There’s always someone wanting to make a professional buck off of them.