Be Careful Who You Trust

Environment - Manager baffled by with work ethic and output of a senior consultant

Scene 1: A manager is confiding in one of his most trusted senior staff members. "You know something, when I give you, Bob and Sara work to do, I don't have to worry. It gets done in a timely manner. But that Karl, I don't know. I gave him an assignment to do yesterday and....I don't know, I don't think he understood what I was asking."

Scene 2: Senior staff member has a bubble over his head. "I know...Karl is a one man wrecking crew in here. He does NOTHING. My manager has taken over a year to figure this out. Damn!"

Scene 3: Trusted Senior staff member speaks privately in a whispered conversation with Bob. "Hey, Karl just got found out. Uncle Stevey our fearless leader finally clued in. Why don't we get paid more?"
"Just shut up, keep your head down and we'll survive this catastrophic recession."
"Ok Bob."

Scene 4: "Hey Karl, how come you never complete assignments, you never do them right and you don't even listen to what the big boss man wants."

"Bob, I have some wisdom to pass on to you. You will never again be asked to do something if you dog fuck it, clusterfuck it and just ignore the fuck out of it. Now begone, I have some serious surfing to do, the Gap has a sale coming up."

Scene 5: A light bulb shatters above Bobs head and he faints.

Lesson Learned: Never do anything you are asked to do above and beyond your exact work description. Any item that falls in the "other tasks as deemed necessary..." just don't do it. You will live a long yet not very properous life.