Manager who was about to be fired turned potential layoff into promotion: ‘Instead of updating resume he…’

A senior manager’s super-shady tactic to save his job when he was about to get fired from a Gurgaon-tech company has gone viral on X. Taking to the microblogging platform, a user named Manikanth Deverakonda shared a hilarious anecdote of what a manager did when he discovered he was about to get booted.

Instead of working on an exit plan and polishing his CV, he came up with a fake investor deck that claimed his s team had built an AI product that could save the company Rs 40 crore. He presented the deck to the leaders and the CEOs were highly impressed.

Instead of a layoff, he was promoted.


Just six months later, his scheme was exposed. The AI product was exposed as a fraud. While he lost his job, he still got a “golden handshake” (severance package) of a staggering Rs 85 lakh.

Sharing the story, Deverakonda reflected how sometimes a nice storytelling can trump actual, measurable results.

“The funniest part of corporate life: Everyone says "show me the numbers."
Then someone shows a beautiful PowerPoint and suddenly the numbers can wait…” remarked one comment.

Another X user explained that societies can become distracted by narratives, entertainment, propaganda, or carefully crafted stories that prevent people from examining deeper and more important issues.

“Stories keep people busy. Not letting them ask the vital questions. Eventually leading to the chaos and downfall of a civilisation.

What happened here, the history has seen it. Not surprised…” the comment read.

Another pointed out that despite the fat paycheck he may have jeopardised his career. “A layoff is termination without cause. Person can be rehired.
A fake deck and fake work is fraud. You can be terminated and blacklisted. Even terminated for cause. In India they can also inform about your wrong doing to others…” the comment read.