Like all of our "All Hands Meetings" at work, our overseas offices dial in to a conference call number.  This also includes the local employees who are working remotely.  Long story short – we were called into an impromptu company-wide meeting today.  The news was that our CEO had left for another venture.  The person giving the news was the CFO who has now also added the CEO title to his job description (with approval from the Board of Directors last week).  He didn’t identify himself when the meeting began to the phone listeners; therefore, after he had given a 10 minute spiel, he asked if anyone had any questions.

Someone on the phone meekly asked “I’m assuming this is Doug?”  Immediate laughter broke out as we all realized the other offices had no idea who was speaking who had just declared himself the CEO! Thankfully the person had guessed correctly.

Side Note: From all outward appearances, it seems as though the outgoing CEO simply joined a friend’s company to be closer to where he calls home (Dallas).  We all hope it isn’t a case of the captain jumping form his capsized ship.  We supposedly are doing better than last year, but in this wonderful world of internet-based companies, you’re one day removed from being bought out by another company or having another massive layoff or going public and becoming insanely rich (at least on paper).  99.8% of the time it’s one of the first two options, not the third.  Of course anytime I hear that we’re having an impromptu meeting, it usually means that we have been sold or there are more layoffs.  Thankfully neither was the case today.