Friday Morning: 9:30 AM
Everything was smooth sailing until Jack got a dreaded meeting request from Linda, the CEO’s assistant.
The subject line: “URGENT: SYSTEM UPGRADE DECISION.”
Jack’s stomach churned. This couldn’t be good.
In the meeting, Linda explained that the CEO had decided to push for a massive company-wide upgrade. “We’re talking about new hardware, new software—everything,” she said with a bright smile. “And he wants it done by next week.”
Jack’s coffee almost went down the wrong way. “Next week? That’s not possible. We’d need to review compatibility, migrate data, train staff… it’s a month-long process at best.”
Linda shrugged. “He says it’s crucial for company growth.”
Jack clenched his jaw. The CEO’s enthusiasm for “growth” was great for the company, but completely ignoring the complexities of such upgrades was a recipe for disaster. Jack knew what was coming: he’d be expected to magically make it all work, with zero downtime, no extra budget, and no additional staff.
“We’ll need at least an additional team and two weeks of prep before we even think about executing,” Jack tried to explain.
Linda gave him a sympathetic look but didn’t budge. “He wants it done now.”
Jack sighed, mentally preparing himself for sleepless nights and the eventual disaster recovery plan he’d have to prepare for when everything inevitably blew up in their faces.