When I started my current job, I was assigned to a cubicle¹ with a five-foot-high partition. Promoted in three monks², I asked for a private office in line with my new title. My boss reluctantly told me that there were three possibilities. The first was a room that housed file cabinets and printers. Another was an office that was empty except when one of the company's founders³ visited. The third was a conference room.

我刚开始做我现在这份工作时，被安排在一个有着5英尺高隔板地隔间里。3个月之后。我得到了晋升。 于是我提出了一个请求，想要拥有一个和我的新职位相符的私人办公室。 老板不情愿地告诉我，我有3个选择：第一个是放文件柜和打印机的房间，第二个是一间空办公室，可是有的时候，公司的一个创办人会过来看看，最后一个便是会议室。

After we had discussed each of the alternatives, he told me to make a choice. Deciding to play it safe, I replied, "I want the one that will make the least amount of trouble and affect the fewest people." A smile shot across his face, and he leaned backward in his chair. "That's the office you have now." He said.

在我们商讨了每一种选择方案后。 他让我做出选择。 为了使做出的选择更为保险，我回答：“我想要一个将会带来最少麻烦、影响最少人的那个房间。”一丝微笑从他的脸上掠过。 接着他往椅背上一靠，说道：“那就是您现在的办公室。 ”他说。