Helen, a new employee at a bank, was determined to uphold her principles and beliefs. She swore never to compromise or betray her integrity. But the test of her convictions wasn't far off.
At the bank, every employee had a target to meet—and that target had to be reached, by hook or by crook. Failing to meet it repeatedly meant dismissal.
Helen worked tirelessly every month to meet her targets, and fortunately, she was doing well. But soon, her principles were put to the test.
Suddenly, Helen found herself unable to meet her targets. She had no clients, while her co-workers continued to perform excellently. Out of frustration, she approached one of them to find out their secret. The colleague confided in her that the way to meet targets was to “satisfy” clients—especially high-profile male clients from big agencies, firms, and companies.
Helen was shocked. She didn't want to believe it, but the truth stared her in the face. The month was nearing its end, and she was nowhere close to reaching her target.
One of her friends, trying to help, arranged a meeting for Helen with a top politician. Helen met with him, and the man requested to meet her at a hotel. She felt trapped. Desperate not to lose her job, she considered accepting.
That night, she couldn’t sleep. Her conscience battled with her circumstances. The next morning, she went to work, but she was distant and disturbed. As the time for the hotel meeting drew near, she finally made a decision.
She called the man and said:
“I’m so sorry, sir. I can't bring myself to jeopardize my standards and principles. I believe people should live with dignity and integrity—values I’ve always stood by. If you work with me, I promise to give you the best service, and our bank will serve you well.”
The man was both annoyed and impressed. Other employees would have jumped at the opportunity, yet she politely refused, just to preserve her values and her name.
Helen didn’t meet her target for the month, and she was sacked. Her co-workers mocked her and questioned her credibility. She moved on with her life, holding tightly to her beliefs while searching for another job.
Life became difficult. At home, her siblings called her jobless, and she now depended on her mother for food—she had no source of income
Three months later, news reached the bank manager that employees had been compromising themselves to meet monthly targets. She was furious and dismissed those involved.
Coincidentally, the same politician Helen had turned down came to the bank to collect some documents. He asked after her and was shocked to learn she had been sacked. Guilt consumed him—he had caused harm to someone who had only done right.
Using his influence, he met with the bank manager. After some discussion, he brought up Helen’s case and pleaded with the manager to re-employ her, admitting he had felt guilty ever since.
Helen was called back and reinstated. News of the woman who stood her ground against a top politician spread like wildfire. Not only did she get her job back—she attracted numerous new clients and was later awarded Best Employee of the Year.
Thank you for reading and I believe we all have one or two thing to learn from the story 😊
Credibility pays...
The photos are AI generated...
