Loose lips

Loose Lips Trip Up a Good Hands Executive

Excerpt:

Some agents were angry about the changes and the company's recent performance, said people who heard the remarks at the bar. Mr. Wilson, who wasn't at the bar, was a popular target.

Then came the two words that helped end Mr. Lacher's 20-month career at Allstate: "f—ing a—."

Some people who heard the double-barreled expletive or are familiar with an internal investigation about the incident launched by Allstate said Mr. Lacher was talking about Mr. Wilson, the chief executive at Allstate since 2007.

Another account has Mr. Lacher saying Mr. Wilson "would have to be a "f—ing a—" if he didn't feel responsible for the company's performance.

Either way, some of the people who heard Mr. Lacher's remarks interpreted them as highly critical of Allstate's chief executive. Accounts of the incident rippled through the Leaders Forum the next day, according to several people. Eight weeks later, Mr. Lacher lost his job.

Comment: It's one thing to feel this way ... but keep lips sealed