Way back in my murky past I spent some time as a management consultant.  By management consultant I mean I actually went into other people’s businesses and did projects. Not management consultant as a synonym for unemployed executive (been that too).

I was a lackey Jr. Analyst on one job in a defense plant in the San Fernando Valley. As lackey Jr. Analyst, I was assigned to follow a floor supervisor for a day – do a Day In the Life Of or DILO, as we say in the business.

So here I am in my smart wool, navy blue with black pinstripe business suit and my smart black leather soled Bali pumps.  My assignment took one one look at me and did exactly what I would have done in his place – he ran my ass from one end of that million-acre plant to the other. Every inch of it on concrete! For 6 hours!

After I limped back to the hotel and soaked my poor aching feet those shoes got packed in the very bottom of my suitcase, never to be worn again. It was flats (with cushy soles) the next day, and pretty much every day since.