“Wow, you don’t hold back, do you?“

My boss Gary started his email reply with this rhetorical question. I was working at Philadelphia Sports Club in the Society Hill section of Philadelphia. Some new sales people were stealing all the walk-in business (prospective gym members who’d “walked in” to the gym seeking info, as opposed to having an appointment with one of the salespeople) and I was miffed. Walk in business is, theoretically, easier to close than people who have appointments.

Thing is, you had to earn the right to take walk-ins by closing business the previous day, having a certain number of appointments, etc. I’d earned it, and was watching my money walk away with newbies who hadn’t earned shit. So I emailed Gary from across the lobby to let him know, in no uncertain terms, that this wasn’t right.

Gary wasn’t much for dealing with conflict. He was a white guy; his face turned bright red anytime there were issues amongst salespeople. And he knew I was right. So did I. And he knew that I knew.

I don’t even remember what happened. But I knew I didn’t leave work with things unsaid.