In a bustling corporate office nestled in a high-rise building in downtown Chicago, two employees stood out in the crowd—one for his looks, and the other, for reasons that weren't as obvious.
Raj was a quiet, short Indian man, often blending into the background. Standing at 5'7", he was an average presence in the office, not particularly remarkable in either appearance or work ethic. He worked diligently, but his physical frame was often ridiculed in the office, his lack of presence making him an afterthought for most. He was the type of guy who did his job without complaint, but never got any recognition for it.
On the other hand, there was Chad—also 5'7", but the perception of him couldn’t be more different. Chad was charming, with a deep voice, green eyes and a natural swagger. His colleagues, all towering over him at 6'2" or taller, loved him. They were always quick to praise his achievements and success in the office, especially when it came to bringing in clients. His chiseled jawline, sparkling smile, and sharp suit always attracted the attention of potential clients, particularly women, making him an invaluable asset to the business.
But Chad, ever the perfectionist, had one small problem: he wasn’t tall enough. Despite his good looks and charisma, he always felt overshadowed by his towering colleagues. They were all at least 6'2", and some even taller. Chad, at 5'7", could barely meet their eye level, and that bothered him. He knew that height gave a certain perception of authority and dominance—attributes he wanted to exude.
One day, during a casual conversation at lunch, Chad mentioned to his friends in the office, all of whom were over 6'2", that he wished he could be taller. His friends, knowing how much attention he brought to the business due to his attractiveness, were immediately onboard with the idea. They knew that Chad's appeal was contributing directly to the growth of the company, and they wanted to help him reach his full potential. The idea of a *Limb Lengthening Surgery* was brought up.
The procedure was expensive, but his friends, who all earned generously from their positions in the company, agreed to pool together the funds to help Chad. “You bring in clients like no one else, Chad. You deserve to be taller,” one of them said, clapping him on the back.
Meanwhile, Raj was oblivious to all of this. He continued to work at his desk, filling out reports and handling calls. His performance, while competent, lacked the "wow factor." And, sadly, Raj had become the opposite of what the company valued—he was invisible.
Raj’s boss, Mr. Miller, was a pragmatic man. He saw Chad as an asset, someone who had the potential to bring in more business. Chad’s charm and physical appeal were magnetic, and his stature, though it had been a minor issue, had become more pronounced as the company grew. Mr. Miller had noticed the difference in how clients responded to the taller employees versus Chad. He saw the potential in Chad's future, but Raj... Raj didn’t fit the bill. His unimpressive image was dragging down the company’s reputation, or so Mr. Miller thought.
One afternoon, as Chad was discussing the surgery with his friends, Mr. Miller called him into his office. He leaned back in his chair, glancing over Chad's performance reports.
“Chad, I’ve been watching your work lately. You’re a top performer in this company. The way clients respond to you—well, it’s something that can't be overlooked," Mr. Miller began. “But... I think there’s a way for you to further enhance that presence of yours. I know you’ve been thinking about *improving* yourself. I support you in that decision."
Chad’s heart raced, a grin forming on his face. Mr. Miller’s approval meant everything to him.
“But,” Mr. Miller continued, “I also have some concerns about Raj. We need employees who represent the company in the best light, and it seems like he just isn’t connecting with clients the way you are."
Chad nodded slowly, unsure where this conversation was heading.
“I’m considering asking Raj to leave,” Mr. Miller added bluntly. “It’s nothing personal, but he just isn’t a strong face for this business.”
Chad felt a pang of guilt. He had nothing against Raj—after all, they worked together. Raj had always been polite, if a little quiet. Still, he couldn't deny that the company was more focused on the "package" than on Raj's actual performance.
“Understood,” Chad said quietly, trying to hide his inner conflict.
Within weeks, Chad underwent the limb-lengthening surgery. It was grueling, painful, and expensive, but his friends were supportive. He was determined to reach the height of 6'1", a mere 4 inches taller, but it made a world of difference. With his new height, his confidence soared even more, and his presence at meetings and client presentations was now impossible to ignore. Clients responded to him even more positively, and the business began to thrive in ways they hadn't anticipated.
Raj, however, was let go soon after. His boss didn’t see any potential for growth in him, especially compared to the shining star that Chad had become. It was a harsh reality for Raj, but he took it with grace, as he always did. He packed his things, his heart heavy with the knowledge that in the corporate world, looks and image often meant more than merit.
As Chad strutted through the office with his taller, more imposing frame, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. He was the office darling, yes, but he knew that his success had come at the cost of someone else's. Yet, as he stood taller than ever before, he couldn’t ignore the small voice in his head—whispering that, in the end, height was just another way to get ahead in a world that judged more by appearance than ability.
And in the cutthroat world of business, that might just be all that mattered.
Raj was a quiet, short Indian man, often blending into the background. Standing at 5'7", he was an average presence in the office, not particularly remarkable in either appearance or work ethic. He worked diligently, but his physical frame was often ridiculed in the office, his lack of presence making him an afterthought for most. He was the type of guy who did his job without complaint, but never got any recognition for it.
On the other hand, there was Chad—also 5'7", but the perception of him couldn’t be more different. Chad was charming, with a deep voice, green eyes and a natural swagger. His colleagues, all towering over him at 6'2" or taller, loved him. They were always quick to praise his achievements and success in the office, especially when it came to bringing in clients. His chiseled jawline, sparkling smile, and sharp suit always attracted the attention of potential clients, particularly women, making him an invaluable asset to the business.
But Chad, ever the perfectionist, had one small problem: he wasn’t tall enough. Despite his good looks and charisma, he always felt overshadowed by his towering colleagues. They were all at least 6'2", and some even taller. Chad, at 5'7", could barely meet their eye level, and that bothered him. He knew that height gave a certain perception of authority and dominance—attributes he wanted to exude.
One day, during a casual conversation at lunch, Chad mentioned to his friends in the office, all of whom were over 6'2", that he wished he could be taller. His friends, knowing how much attention he brought to the business due to his attractiveness, were immediately onboard with the idea. They knew that Chad's appeal was contributing directly to the growth of the company, and they wanted to help him reach his full potential. The idea of a *Limb Lengthening Surgery* was brought up.
The procedure was expensive, but his friends, who all earned generously from their positions in the company, agreed to pool together the funds to help Chad. “You bring in clients like no one else, Chad. You deserve to be taller,” one of them said, clapping him on the back.
Meanwhile, Raj was oblivious to all of this. He continued to work at his desk, filling out reports and handling calls. His performance, while competent, lacked the "wow factor." And, sadly, Raj had become the opposite of what the company valued—he was invisible.
Raj’s boss, Mr. Miller, was a pragmatic man. He saw Chad as an asset, someone who had the potential to bring in more business. Chad’s charm and physical appeal were magnetic, and his stature, though it had been a minor issue, had become more pronounced as the company grew. Mr. Miller had noticed the difference in how clients responded to the taller employees versus Chad. He saw the potential in Chad's future, but Raj... Raj didn’t fit the bill. His unimpressive image was dragging down the company’s reputation, or so Mr. Miller thought.
One afternoon, as Chad was discussing the surgery with his friends, Mr. Miller called him into his office. He leaned back in his chair, glancing over Chad's performance reports.
“Chad, I’ve been watching your work lately. You’re a top performer in this company. The way clients respond to you—well, it’s something that can't be overlooked," Mr. Miller began. “But... I think there’s a way for you to further enhance that presence of yours. I know you’ve been thinking about *improving* yourself. I support you in that decision."
Chad’s heart raced, a grin forming on his face. Mr. Miller’s approval meant everything to him.
“But,” Mr. Miller continued, “I also have some concerns about Raj. We need employees who represent the company in the best light, and it seems like he just isn’t connecting with clients the way you are."
Chad nodded slowly, unsure where this conversation was heading.
“I’m considering asking Raj to leave,” Mr. Miller added bluntly. “It’s nothing personal, but he just isn’t a strong face for this business.”
Chad felt a pang of guilt. He had nothing against Raj—after all, they worked together. Raj had always been polite, if a little quiet. Still, he couldn't deny that the company was more focused on the "package" than on Raj's actual performance.
“Understood,” Chad said quietly, trying to hide his inner conflict.
Within weeks, Chad underwent the limb-lengthening surgery. It was grueling, painful, and expensive, but his friends were supportive. He was determined to reach the height of 6'1", a mere 4 inches taller, but it made a world of difference. With his new height, his confidence soared even more, and his presence at meetings and client presentations was now impossible to ignore. Clients responded to him even more positively, and the business began to thrive in ways they hadn't anticipated.
Raj, however, was let go soon after. His boss didn’t see any potential for growth in him, especially compared to the shining star that Chad had become. It was a harsh reality for Raj, but he took it with grace, as he always did. He packed his things, his heart heavy with the knowledge that in the corporate world, looks and image often meant more than merit.
As Chad strutted through the office with his taller, more imposing frame, he couldn't help but feel conflicted. He was the office darling, yes, but he knew that his success had come at the cost of someone else's. Yet, as he stood taller than ever before, he couldn’t ignore the small voice in his head—whispering that, in the end, height was just another way to get ahead in a world that judged more by appearance than ability.
And in the cutthroat world of business, that might just be all that mattered.
