Bad drivers, bad managers
A Prague court is expected to rule today in the case of Luboš Lacina, a manager from Plzeňský Prazdroj who is accused of knocking a car off the D1 highway at high speed. Only by luck did the two passengers in the other vehicle survive. The main point of contention is whether Lacina acted with malicious intent. Of particular interest is whether the court finds it to be a mitigating factor that Lacina could probably not have expected his maneuver, no matter how irresponsible or mean-spirited, to cause the other car to be pushed entirely off the road. A stiff punishment would send the message that drivers need to be aware of the unintentional possible consequences of cocky and aggressive behavior. Companies that tolerate managers with such a disposition might want to take special notice. One rash management decision at the wrong time can also be enough to send a company veering out of control.
Glossary of difficult words
contention - heated disagreement;malicious - intending or intended to do harm;
mitigating factor - information or evidence presented to a court that might result in reduced charges or a lesser sentence;
mean-spirited - having or characterized by a malicious or petty spirit; unkind and ungenerous;
stiff - severe or strong;
cocky - conceited or arrogant, esp. in a bold or impudent way;
disposition - a person's inherent qualities of mind and character;
to veer - to change direction suddenly.