Today, while watching Dr. House — Season 1, Episode 16 — I had a small revelation.

Not a medical one. A corporate one.

In the episode, the hospital receives a generous donation from a wealthy businessman. In return, the donor asks for a seat at the management table. Fair enough, right? Money talks. Unfortunately, when it talks, it often speaks the language of spreadsheets.

The new manager starts treating the hospital like one of his companies: numbers first, people second (if there’s room left). KPIs, efficiency charts, internal competition, subtle pressure, doctors encouraged to spy on each other. A familiar ecosystem for anyone who has ever worked in a large organization.

Dr. House, naturally, is the first to refuse blind obedience. He questions decisions, challenges authority, and refuses to play the game. The manager wants him out, but there’s a problem: firing House requires a unanimous vote, which he can’t get. So instead of eliminating him, the manager tries to domesticate him.

House is given a task: fire one member of his team.

Not because it’s the best solution.

Not because it improves patient care.

But because management needs proof:

Proof of loyalty.

Proof of obedience.

Proof that House can be controlled.

House proposes an alternative: cut 17% from everyone’s salary so no one has to be fired. From a cost perspective, the numbers work. From a human perspective, it’s even better.

Management refuses.

Why? Because the goal was never cost reduction. The goal was submission.

At the end, House chooses someone — but irony strikes again. The chosen doctor has “connections” higher up, and House’s decision is rejected. The message is clear: you’re free to choose, as long as you choose what we want.

Now, let’s fast-forward from fiction to corporate reality.

Recently, in the company where I work, two colleagues were laid off. Just like House, I suggested the same solution: spread the cost reduction across the entire team. Everyone sacrifices a little so no one is sacrificed entirely.

The answer?

“That solution is not acceptable.”

In the end, the two colleagues were fired.

And I was left with a very clear conclusion:

This was not about money.

This was about signaling.

The managers needed to demonstrate loyalty to higher management. They needed to show they can execute orders without hesitation, without questions, without empathy. They passed the test imposed by those above them.

But in my eyes — and, I suspect, in the eyes of Someone even higher — they failed spectacularly.

They passed the obedience exam.

They failed the morality exam.

So let’s hand out the awards properly:

🏆 First prize for submission

📉 Failed grades in empathy

❌ Repeat year in ethics and moral courage

Congratulations.

In corporate environments, efficiency is praised, numbers are worshipped, and “difficult decisions” are applauded — especially when someone else pays the price. But don’t confuse compliance with leadership, or authority with integrity.

Because one day, when the KPIs are met and the charts are green, someone might still ask a very uncomfortable question:

“Yes, but was it right?”