I’ve been a manager for six years, always believing I was fair. So, when Celia was late for the third time, I followed the rule and fired her. But later, I learned she had been evicted and was living in her car with her son. She was late because she had to drive them to a church for showers before school.

I felt awful. I tried reaching her but couldn’t. Eventually, I found out she had been at a church, and after searching, I found her in her car. I apologized and offered her a job, but more importantly, I promised to help her get back on her feet.

I helped her secure an apartment, connected her with resources, and got her a small pay raise. Weeks later, she thanked me, not just for the job, but for seeing her as a person.

This experience reminded me that we often get too focused on rules and forget to see the human side of things. Sometimes, breaking the rules is the right thing to do.