Customer Quote by Michael Lewis
““Who do you work for? That question haunted salesmen. Whenever a trader screwed a customer and the salesman became upset, the trader would ask the salesman, “Who do you work for anyway?” The message was clear: You work for Salomon Brothers. You work for me. I pay your bonus at the end of the year. So just shut up, you geek.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Liar's Poker by Michael Lewis, 1989
The quote highlights that salespeople are often pressured by higher-ups to prioritize profit over ethics, reminding them who truly controls their incentives.
In simple terms: Salespeople are pressured to serve their boss's interests, not customers'.
Key Takeaway
Recognize who truly influences your decisions.
Themes
ethics
power dynamics
corporate culture
Mood
cautious
critical
Type
advisory
reflective
When to use this quote
- sales meetings
- corporate training
- client negotiations
Key Concepts
incentive structures
authority
moral conflict
Questions to Reflect On
- Who truly drives your professional choices?
- How can you balance profit with integrity?
A Different Perspective
It may oversimplify complex corporate hierarchies and individual agency.
![“It’s the customer who pay us the money, it’s the employees who drive the vision, and it’s the shareholders who when the [financial] crisis comes, these people ran away. My customers and my people stayed.” –” quote by Think Maverick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/79f/think-maverick-14917_dreams_it-s-the-customer-who-pay-us-the-money-i_1944372.jpg)
![“Crucial decisions are made, today as thousands of years ago, in terms of the intuitive guesses and preferences of a few men in positions of authority...[it is] quite likely that the fate of entire societies may be sealed by a series of avoidable mistakes committed by their leaders.” quote by Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/a59/michael-lewis-705_decision-making_crucial-decisions-are-made-today-as-thou_16888.jpg)
