In professional football, he’s known as The Turk.

The Turk knocks on the door of a player, asks him to hand over his playbook, and then tells him the coach wants to see him. It’s not a good thing to see The Turk because it means a player is about to be cut.

In the auto industry, he’s not called The Turk. He’s just some nobody who’s been hired to be the bad guy. Instead of asking you for a playbook, he asks you to join him in a conference room. In this room, he explains your options, offers guidance on your new job search, and tells you that you have thirty minutes to pack up and go. Now The Turk doesn’t actually watch you pack, but he makes sure someone does. For some guy who’s only in town for a few days, The Turk has a lot of power. Let’s face it. He’s the Man.

On Tuesday, nine people on the floor below me met The Turk. Perhaps my floor is next.

In a totally unrelated turn of events, I have begun selling office supplies on eBay. Please check out my auctions and bid.