When my daughter mocked her mom for being poor, I knew it was time to teach her an important life lesson
When I saw our new employee, Brooklyn, berating a cleaning lady in the office lobby, I was disturbed. What I discovered later shook me. That encounter led to a plan during the company’s charity ball that Brooklyn would never forget.I’m Ilan, 42, a senior executive at a prominent company. Last week, I returned to the office to find Brooklyn, an ambitious new hire, snapping at an older cleaning lady in the lobby. The woman looked crushed, and despite my instinct to avoid conflict, I intervened. Brooklyn dismissed the situation with a fake smile, but her behavior stuck with me.
Later, I saw the cleaning lady leaving, her eyes red and puffy. She revealed something shocking: Brooklyn was her daughter, who had shamed her and wanted to hide their relationship. The woman had even helped Brooklyn get her job, but now her daughter treated her with disdain. I knew I had to act.Brooklyn’s excitement over the company’s charity ball gave me an idea. I removed her name from the guest list and invited her mother, Esther, instead. After a salon visit and a new dress, Esther looked radiant. At the ball, Brooklyn was stunned to see her mother and furious when I revealed I’d replaced her spot.
Brooklyn protested, but I reminded her that respect, especially for family, was a core value. Her disrespect toward her mother was unacceptable. Esther, however, thrived at the event, laughing and mingling with colleagues who valued her work.Although Esther begged me not to fire her daughter, I ensured she received a well-deserved raise and a holiday bonus. As for Brooklyn, her future at the company depends on whether she learns to respect the sacrifices of those who helped her succeed.
