I LOVE THIS FATHER OF MARK T. BERTOLINI. DON’T YOU?
How was it working for your father?
There was this guy named Jerry who was in his 20s, who did the same job I did. We were sitting out back having a cigarette, I was like 14 years old, and he let me know that he was making $4.25 an hour. So I go to my dad and I go, “Dad, I’m making a buck and a quarter, Jerry’s making four and a quarter. I want a raise.” My dad said, “If I don’t give you a raise, what are you going to do?” I said, “I’ll quit.” He says, “Do you have another job?” I said, “No.” He says, “Great, you’re fired. Go home.” And he sent me home.
Afterward he said to me, “Do you know Jerry’s story?” I said, “No.” He says, “Well, Jerry’s never going to do anything more than he’s doing now. He’s got a wife and a daughter. I’m helping him support his family. You’re 14 years old, you’ve got a home, you’ve got food, you’re going to get an education, and you’re going to do better than Jerry’s going to ever do. Do you get it?” I said, “Yeah.”
He goes, “And the second thing is, never quit a job unless you have another one to go to. Don’t run from. Go to.” I said, “I got it.” He said, “Do you want your job back?” I said, “Yeah.” He goes, “Great, you’re a buck an hour.” And he cut my salary.
– Mark T. Bertolini is the CEO of Aetna, a Fortune 50 diversified health care benefits company