Free The Man Who Risked It All by Laurent Gounelle Page A

evening.
    I came out on the street, and my senses were at once attacked by the noise of the traffic and the luminosity of a sky that had gone white. Coming to my senses, I fully grasped the meaning of what I had just experienced: Other people’s attitude toward me was conditioned by my own behavior. I was the one who caused their reactions. I couldn’t help questioning myself about a number of past relationships.
    I had also discovered unsuspected resources somewhere inside myself, resources that allowed me to behave differently. I certainly didn’t wish to repeat what I had just experienced. I was not a power person and didn’t wish to become one; I was too fond of cordial relations between equals. But I had discovered that I wasn’t doomed to play the role of follower. Above all, I had found I was capable of doing things I wasn’t used to doing, and that alone was what counted in my eyes.
    The narrow tunnel of my life was beginning to widen a little.

7
    “W HAT MOTIVATES YOU about a job in accounting?”
    My candidate’s eyes moved rapidly in every direction as he searched for the best possible answer.
    “Hmm … I like figures.”
    I could feel he was disappointed with himself. He would like to have said something catchier, but nothing had come to mind.
    “What do you like about figures?”
    I had the impression I’d slipped another coin in the slot: The lottery balls began to turn around, as his cheeks became more flushed. He had obviously made an effort with his clothes for the interview. He clearly wasn’t used to wearing the gray suit and very sober striped tie he had on, and this was adding to his unease. His white socks contrasted so strikingly with the correctness of his outfit that they looked almost fluorescent.
    “Well, I like it when it comes out right. I mean, when the columns balance, and I’m sure I’m going to land on my feet. It’s very satisfying, you know. As a matter of fact, I like it when things are straightforward. What’s more, when there’s an error, I can spend hours looking for it, until everything’s straightened out. Well … not hours. I mean, I don’t waste time. I know how to get to the heart of something. But I mean I’m very precise.”
    Poor young man. He was struggling to try and prove that he was the perfect candidate.
    “Do you consider yourself to be an independent person?”
    I had to concentrate on his face to stop my eyes from being drawn to his socks.
    “Yes, I do. I’m very independent. No problem. I know how to sort things out by myself without troubling anyone.”
    “Can you give me an example of when you’ve shown independence?”
    It was a technique well known to countless recruiters. When someone states they have a quality, they must be able to give examples of occasions when they’ve shown it. More precisely, they must be able to provide a context, a behavior, and an outcome. If one of the three is missing, then they are bound to be lying. It’s logical: If they’ve really got that quality, they must be able to give an example of a situation in which they applied it, specifically what they did, and the results.
    “Hmm … yes, of course.”
    “What was the context?”
    The lottery balls were spinning furiously as he tried to remember—or imagine—such an event. The slight redness of his complexion intensified, and I thought I could make out a bead of sweat on his brow. I hated making the candidates uncomfortable, and it really wasn’t what I intended. But I had to evaluate whether they did or didn’t match the post on offer.
    “Well, look, I regularly show independence, there’s no doubt about it. You can take my word for it.”
    He uncrossed his legs, twisted a little in his chair, and then recrossed them. His socks really could have been in an ad for Tide.
    “I’m just asking you to give me an example of the last time it happened. Where was it? What were the circumstances? What was the occasion? Take your time to remember. Relax,