> As I got up to leave the room, the CEO said, “I want you out of the building talking to customers; find out who they are, how they work, and what we need to d

> As I got up to leave the room, the CEO said, “I want you out of the building talking to customers; find out who they are, how they work, and what we need to do to sell them lots of these new computers.” Motioning to our VP of Sales, he ordered: “Go with him and get him in front of customers, and both of you don’t come back until you can tell us something we don’t know.” The way this story reads, it makes me wonder if the CEO realized he'd gone too far and was trying to walk things back a little. He previously had just yelled that he wanted the guy "out of this building and get out of my company". Then moments later course corrects to trying to make it seem like he just wants him out in the field finding customers? This sounds like a poisonous work environment. I do agree that there are lessons to be learned from this situation, but I wouldn't attribute them to a "brilliant" boss.