In the world of IT service delivery, punctuality and professionalism are key. That’s why, on a routine monthly service review meeting, I was less than impressed when my colleague—let’s call him John—failed to show up.
John had called me in advance to apologize for running late, so I’d asked him to let the receptionist know when he arrived. With that settled, I went into the meeting, expecting him to join shortly.
The agenda was covered, the discussions flowed, and eventually, we wrapped up. Still, no John. Now, I was irritated. How unprofessional! As soon as I left the client site, I called him, ready to demand an explanation.
Nothing could have prepared me for what he said next.
John had arrived—exactly seven minutes late—and did as instructed, informing reception. A few minutes later, someone came to meet him, confirmed his name, and asked if he was John. He nodded, and without question, followed them through the sprawling corporate site.
Then, things took a bizarre turn.
Instead of being led to a meeting room to discuss IT services, John was asked to sit down in a quiet office. Moments later, he found himself facing a series of personal, increasingly uncomfortable questions about his health, his mental capacity for work, and how he was coping with stress.
At first, he thought I was pulling an elaborate prank. But as the questions became more serious, he realized something was very, very wrong.
Eventually, John stopped them.
“Sorry… but why exactly are you asking me this?”
“Well, this is your return-to-work interview.”
John blinked. Return-to-work interview?
Then, it hit him. They had the wrong John.
The real John—who actually required a mental health assessment—was still waiting patiently in reception, while my colleague had unknowingly stepped into someone else’s HR intervention.
When the mistake was finally realized, a horrified HR representative apologized and rushed John back to reception, but by then, the meeting had long ended.
Needless to say, after hearing his story, my annoyance vanished instantly—replaced instead with sheer disbelief… and, eventually, laughter.
Moral of the story? Always confirm your full name before following someone to a mystery meeting!
