The Compromise Trap

5Reconnect to Your Strengths

Ireached the low point of my working life in 1988 when I was promoted to corporate group sales manager for a beautiful four-star hotel and assigned to cover the western region. My boss, Ed, was a tall man, slightly bald, whose eyes narrowed to slits when he was angry. According to him, I was supposed to meet with ten prospects per day during my sales trips to Los Angeles, and he routinely checked my appointment schedule to make sure I did. He also directed me to travel on Saturdays to get the airline discount but prohibited me from picking up my rental car until Monday morning to save on expenses.

Aside from the boredom of sitting in a hotel room all weekend without access to a car, there was another problem with ...