Merry Christmas, You're Fired

This isn't federal, but I had to share it anyway. While reading this story in the Wall Street Journal today, I came across one of those anecdotes that takes a minute to sink in, then makes you say, "What?!?"

The tale involves Alan Huttmann, head of HA Logistics, a trucking company. With expenses soaring at his firm, Huttman sought the solace of a group of fellow CEOs, who were quick to tell him to dump managers and close one of his offices. "One CEO," the story recounts, "came to HA Logistics's Christmas party to vet the managers himself, later telling Mr. Huttmann which ones he'd suggest firing."

Really? The head of an organization actually used its Christmas party as a stealth opportunity to force managers to audition to keep their jobs in front of a total stranger, without even knowing it? Wow.

Can anybody come up with a story to top that in the federal sector?