Recently, one of my friends (let's call her Martha), the president of a very successful distribution business, lamented the firing of one of her key associates (Phyllis). Phyllis had been hired as a customer service rep in a new, telephone-based customer service effort that was acknowledged by Martha as a critical resource for her firm's growth in the next two years. I had met both Martha and Phyllis at a trade show, and I was particularly impressed with the initiative and energy of Phyllis, th.