Mind Games (2014): Season 1, Episode 2 - Asymmetric Dominance - full transcript

Previously on "Mind Games"...

We research and deploy
a psychological strategy.

We change people's minds
without them knowing we did it.

- What the hell is she doing here?
- Who's that?

- My ex-wife.
- Our new office manager!

Claire calms me down, Ross.
She's like a magic feather.

Everything... everything in
here makes me think of Beth.

That was not the agreement.

I paid you to just
disappear. You understand?

That's all of it. I don't want it.

I won't tell him about our deal.



It would be as bad for
me as it would for you.

Really? Are you his brother?

Ever wish you could magically
change someone's mind?

Get your spouse or boss
to see things your way?

That special someone to fall for you?

What if you could not
only change their minds

but do it without them
knowing it had happened?

Well, now it's possible.

Dr. Clark Edwards is a world-renowned

influence and manipulation expert

who can tailor a plan to
influence any situation

and solve any problem.

With his years of experience,

Dr. Clark can scientifically
make your dreams come true.



A free consultation provides you

with all the tools you will need

to get your life goin in the
direction you want it to go.

What?

It's great!

I know I'm going to throw up,

and I know I'm going to kill you.

- I just can't decide on an order.
- Yes, it's simple,

- but that is the type of message that we need to...
- No.

- Do you see that light bulb? That light bulb costs $27.
- It does?

Yep. Believe me... I'm well
aware of your expensive tastes.

It's not about taste.
It's about signaling, okay?

We spent a fortune we didn't have

pulling this place together,
down to the last detail,

in order to reassure potential clients

that, while the business may sound dubious,

one look at our surroundings,

and they would feel
confident that we were legit.

And now you go off and start running an ad

that looks like we're
selling power crystals.

There actually was a pretty
interesting study on power crystals.

- Miles.
- Miles.

I've counted $675 in light bulbs, Ross.

We are a month late on the electric,

and we're standing under
$675 in light bulbs?

They're actually really
inefficient bulbs, too.

What kind of person just makes an ad

and starts running it
without telling anyone?

The kind of person who's
trying to generate business,

trying to get people in

so they can be mystified
by these stupid light bulbs.

Then why are you running it

in the middle of the night
when no one's watching?

Plenty of people are watching
TV in the middle of the night.

Our people... people with problems,

problems that keep them up worrying,

wishing someone, anyone could save them.

And then along comes Dr. Clark.

Dr. Clark sounds like a children's dentist.

Guys, I'm not proud of
it, but if I saw that ad

and I was up and I was
desperate, I'd probably call.

Thank you. Finally, a voice of reason.

No, the ads are coming
down. End of discussion.

Then how do you propose we
tell people that we're here?

We don't! It has to be a secret.

They have to feel like they're
discovering something...

exclusivity!

How exclusive is bankruptcy?

'Cause being a secret,
that's what's gonna happen.

Excuse me. Hi. I'm looking for Dr. Clark.

I saw an ad.

Of course you did. Come right in.

My boss... her name is Cathy Stewart.

She's been with Bellerman
Consulting for over 30 years.

I've been her assistant for the last two.

She's sort of like having
your mom for a boss,

if your mom could increase
overall market share

and remember the names of all
437 employees and their kids.

The point is, she'll do absolutely anything

for the company, and
people love her for it.

And for that reason, she was
next in line to be our C.E.O.

- But she's not gonna get it.
- They suddenly got cold feet

and brought in another candidate...

this young guy, Trent Hanes.

He's like a handsome mannequin,
but with less experience.

Apparently, the board thinks his youth

would send a better message to Wall Street

about the direction of the company

than a more experienced, meaning
"old," candidate like Cathy.

See? Signaling.

Anyway, what was supposed
to be a done deal for Cathy

is now totally up in the air.

The board has formal interviews Thursday

and then announces their decision.

And I was up late, and I saw your ad,

and I thought maybe you guys
can do whatever it is you do

to help make sure she gets the job.

Well, it would really depend on numerous...

We can absolutely help.

We specialize in exactly
these kinds of cases.

I... I should warn you...

I haven't actually mentioned
any of this to Cathy yet.

She might be a bit skeptical
you can actually do what you say.

- We have light bulbs for that.
- I'm sorry?

Chris, I'm confident that

once Cathy sits down with Dr. Clark...

How would you like it if I
started calling you "Mr. Ross"?

Mr. Ross, can I have an apple?

Mr. Ross, will you
please push me on my bike?

- Mr. Ross...
- My apologies, Dr. Edwards.

All her doubts will completely evaporate.

Great.

Okay. I've got to admit,
I'm a bit relieved.

You see an ad like that
at 2:00 in the morning,

you have to expect to show up and find

that the office is a couple
of card tables in a strip mall.

Huh.

We look forward to meeting her.

Wow. You see that? One ad, and "boom"...

high-profile client, big paycheck,

the kind of thing that puts us on the map.

Now we get a C.E.O. and an ad
talking about how Dr. Clark...

Where is Clark? He's in his office.

Latrell's making him look at
decorative compact fluorescents.

Did you say hello to Beth?

Oh, yeah. Hello.

Will you tell Clark she's here?

- Happily.
- Okay.

- So, anyway, it's got two flats.
- Yeah.

And it's summer in Kansas.

- And I don't know if you've ever been there in the summertime.
- No, I haven't.

Oh, it's so pretty.

It's... I mean, it is. It's just...

- oh, it's just...
- I'm sorry, but, um,

could I actually have a moment with Beth?

My office?

You will never pull this off.

You're not built for it. You will trip up.

Clark will figure it all out,
you will take me down with you,

and that can't happen.

Look, you paid me to
get Clark to fall for me.

You didn't say I wasn't
allowed to fall for him.

I felt like that was implied

when we talked about you going
away and never coming back.

Why are you so worried about me?

You've got the same secret to keep.

I've had a lot more practice than you.

Well, it's lying. I'm not
learning to play the violin.

I think I'll survive.

You're not from Kansas.

What? You're from Wisconsin.

- No, I'm from Kan...
- I know you're from Wisconsin

because Clark and I are from Wisconsin,

and you telling Clark that
you were also from Wisconsin

was one of the ways that you
bonded in the first place.

You can't even keep your story straight

in a simple conversation with Claire.

You will never pull this off.

Hi, Beth!

- Hi!
- Hey!

What's going on?

Ross was just telling me how
happy he is that I came back.

Oh. Right. Hmm.

- All right, let's go get my stuff, and we'll go.
- Whoa!

You can't leave. We're right
in the middle of something.

Okay, we'll be in the
middle of something later.

- We're just going to lunch.
- What if Chris calls?

We have no idea when
Cathy's gonna want to see us.

Come on. This is the kind of
case we've been waiting for.

We need to be... preparing,

not running off to lunch with our little...

Yeah, yeah, if you're busy...

- I'm not busy.
- Yes! You are!

Ross, just because you
have a parole officer

doesn't mean you get to act like one.

Well, just because your
girlfriend's a child

doesn't mean you get to act like one.

Clark, come on. Come on.

I have two questions for you.

One... do you think that

that guy Chris was checking me out?

We have a Yoko, Miles.

Did I miss something?

We're on the verge of our break,
and we have a 22-year-old Yoko

with fuzzy memories of Wisconsin.

Yoko Ono was from Wisconsin?

No, Miles. Apparently, she was from Kansas.

Ross, you've got to get
Clark out of his office.

Chris was very specific about
what time Cathy could meet,

and if we don't leave... five minutes ago.

Okay, well... well, never
mind. We're already late.

This is crazy! I'm going in.

Claire said she needed a
few minutes with him, Ross.

We ran out of minutes.
First, Beth took them,

and then Claire took
them, and now we're out.

What we need now is Clark.
She said not to let you in.

This is your job now... to
stand here and keep everyone out?

Not everyone. Just you.

Fine.

Whoa, Ross.

I want to apologize.

Uh... I do care about this business.

This is an excellent opportunity,

and I shouldn't have acted
like it didn't matter.

Okay.

Beth is also very important to me.

And I'm not blind.

I can see that you don't
like her hanging around.

- It's just that work demands so...
- No, but that doesn't work for me.

For my health and stability,
I need you to find a way

to accept that she's a part of my life.

Can you do that for me?

Of course.

Great. Let's go get this job!

Right. Yeah.

Miles, what do you know about C.E.O.s?

Uh, according to one study,

they have a higher incidence of psychopaths

- than any other profession.
- Excellent.

Latrell, your job is to
keep Miles from speaking

- during the meeting.
- What exactly did you say to him?

Why do you want to know?

Because it was obviously more
effective than when I yelled,

and I'd like to learn to
handle these situations better.

Or maybe you're just afraid that
your ex-wife has Clark's ear,

and you want to learn how
to get it back A.S.A.P.

All right, forget it. I was
just trying to call a truce here.

Oh, yeah, Ross, I'd love
to believe that, but, see,

I learned the hard way what
happens when I trust you...

not doing that again.

- She's a little upset.
- You're late.

Chris, what have I told you I want to do

to people who are late?

- You've asked for a trapdoor leading to a volcano.
- Asked repeatedly.

- There have been some feasibility concerns.
- Oh, there you go.

You owe your lives to feasibility concerns.

- Good morning, Grace.
- Good morning.

Ms. Stewart, we completely
understand how important...

Oh, you do?

You understand what it's like

to be told that 30
years' experience is great

as long as you don't look
like you've had more than 10?

You know, John, our last C.E.O.,
was two years older than me

when he took the job.

But, apparently, I'm aging in ways

that threatens stock prices.

I never thought to be
embarrassed about my age

until someone suggested I
should be mortified about it,

and now I am... so mortified, in fact,

that I find myself waiting
around for an ex-con

and a bipolar professor
with psychological problems

- to save me.
- Ms. Stewart...

What? You didn't think
I was gonna look you up?

I know all your secrets.

The fact that I have to
ask for anyone's help,

let alone yours... is embarrassing.

Come on.

Hi. Hello, Ms. Stewart.

I'm Clark, the, uh, Professor
with the psychological problems.

Um, we were late today
because of me. That's my fault.

It's one of my issues. Can I
tell you what your issue is?

You don't seem to understand anything

about how decisions get made.

Oh, is that my issue?

No, no, no. What... what
he's trying to say is...

Mm-hmm. Wait. No, it is!

Do you have any idea how
complex the human brain is?

There... there are more connections

in a cubic centimeter of your brain tissue

than there are stars in the galaxy!

That makes 3 pounds of
galaxies between your ears.

And you know what the crazy part is?

Most of it's out of your control.

The part that you think
is you... the part that's

thinking and deciding and
weighing all the evidence...

that part is so small.

It's like...

it's like a mouse in the belly of a 747

that thinks he's flying the plane.

Your problem is, you're telling the mouse

that you deserve to be C.E.O.

We know how to talk to the captain.

I can't tell if you're
calling me the mouse,

the captain, or the airplane.

I'm asking you if you want to win.

Look around.

This company has been my
home for most of my life,

these people... my family.

Yeah, I want to win.

But you know what I want more?

To lose because the other guy was better,

not because someone's counting
the tree rings around my face.

We're not gonna let you lose.

Visual aids... part of
the reason why we're late.

Um... which one of these guys is better?

- What do you mean, "better"?
- Just better. Who do you like better?

I don't know. I...

Go.

Now who's better?

I don't know. I...

- Maybe the middle one.
- That is exactly what

over 80% of the people
exposed to this study say.

When we're asked to make a decision

about two very different things,

your brain struggles with the problem,

but as soon as you have something

to compare one of the choices to,

your brain interprets the
favorite among those...

As the overall favorite!

It's called asymmetrical dominance.

- What does this have to do...
- You're going to win

because we're gonna add a
third candidate to the race.

You're going to give me more competition?

Oh, no, no. No. No.

By adding a decoy candidate

who is essentially a lesser version of you,

we guarantee that you compare
favorably to that person.

And because you win that comparison,

we virtually guarantee
that you win the whole race.

It's fairly standard procedure.

Actually, as far as I know,

it's never been done
under these circumstances.

You are horrible at accepting help.

Say I believe this insane idea.

Where exactly do you
find the decoy candidate?

Claire.

These are the people in your company

who are roughly your age
and roughly your experience

but are still less qualified than you.

Adding any of them should make
the youthful candidate the outlier

and you the victor via
asymmetrical dominance.

This is crazy! I...

I know you're very smart,

but, uh, maybe I should just let
the chips fall where they may.

- But...
- Cathy?

I thought I told you

to send me everything from
the second quarter, 2011.

Yes, and despite telling
me instead of asking me,

I did it anyway, Trent.

I haven't received it.

Well, should I send Chris over
to help you check your e-mail?

The same thing happens when my
mom tries to send me something.

"I hit the buttons, Trent,

but the pictures are
stuck in the Internet."

"Stuck in the Internet, Trent."

That's your competition?

All right, let me get this straight.

You are basically looking
for the next most qualified

but under-appreciated
person at the company,

somebody who's been here forever

but still isn't getting
the respect they deserve.

Exactly.

That's easy Jim Clemons.

And I know how good he is

because I'm the one who put
him in the current spot he's in.

And I know he's under-appreciated

because I had to fight like hell to do it.

You know, he really is perfect...

experienced, loyal, older,

and way too boring to
actually be in charge.

Hmm, now you just need to
make him seem sexy enough

to deserve a last-minute interview.

According to Chris, there
is one board member...

this guy, Walter Dickens... who
spearheaded the entire search.

So he has the power to
call Jim in all by himself.

Yeah, but all these analyst
reports and news stories...

they're all about Cathy and Trent.

It's like Jim doesn't even exist.

If we could find someone
who would at least name him

as a viable contender, then we could build

an inference strategy
around an expert opinion.

He was mentioned in one of these reports.

This one.

No, I read that one front
to back. He's not in it.

What if he used to be?

What if I heard somebody
leaned on the analyst

and had Jim's name taken out,

and that's the only reason it's not here?

I'm not sure I know where
you're going with this,

but I think I like it...

some sort of
redacted-persuasion technique.

- I have no idea what that means, but, yes, I...
- I'm sorry.

Am I interrupting?

Beth, ohh, I'm sorry. I
totally forgot to call you.

We've... we've got this big assignment.

- W... we're in the middle of trying to figure out...
- Oh, it's okay. I understand.

- You do?
- Yeah.

Okay, um, i... it sounds like

you're talking about a combination

of inference strategy and
confidential elevation,

which might be kind of genius.

Um, yeah. The, uh... the genius thing.

That's exactly what I was suggesting.

Excuse me. Excuse me, Miss. Miss.

Uh, are you Beth Scott?

- Yes. Who are you?
- I'm Justine Liford.

I'm a lawyer looking into an incident

involving you and one of your professors...

Dr. Clark Edwards... at the university.

I think it's time that you
and I had a serious discussion.

Beth, I'm gonna put it to you simply.

You may not realize it,

but you're owed a significant sum of money.

What are you talking about?

What happened at the university was wrong.

You were preyed on by an older Professor

who abused his power and
left you so distraught

that, ultimately, you had to drop out,

disrupting your education
and leaving a lasting scar

that the university is neither
acknowledging or accounting for.

W... wait. I'm not interested
in any sort of lawsuit.

Well, women in your
position often say that.

But situations like this...

universities know they're in the wrong,

and they're usually quick to settle.

In my experience, cases like this

are somewhere in the area
of $200,000 to $300,000.

Now, I know that the thought
of testifying against someone

that you are in a relationship with...

it scares a lot of women into silence.

But things like this,

where it's just so obvious
you've been wronged...

they don't get that far.

It's not about testifying.

Clark and I...

You're gonna tell me you're
back together with him.

Yes.

Oh, I know. It happens.

Your life is so altered,

and everything is so confused
by the traumatic event

that you end up turning

to the very person that
hurt you for comfort.

And, yes, to be honest,
before we could proceed,

- you would have to end that relationship.
- Oh, I'm...

Now, Beth, I'm not interested
in your answer right now.

This is the rest of your
life we're talking about.

Don't think about where you are right now.

Think about where you're really headed,

and then you get back to me.

Okay, we're about to make
Jim seem like such a big deal

that he goes from being
a guy at the company

to a guy they want to
interview to run the company.

The whole board is here,
but the man in the corner...

Walter Dickens... he's
the one we care about.

Megan, you're first up with
the inference manipulation.

- The reporter bit.
- Okay.

The rest of you, follow with the
loss-aversion priming on my cue.

Did we discuss a cue? What is the cue?

Ohh. Okay.

No, that's bad.

No.

I'm gonna tug my ear.

That might be hard to
see from across the room.

It's supposed to be subtle. It's like...

What if we can't see it? What
if you wipe your forehead?

- Wipes his forehead? He's not gonna tell you to steal second.
- Yeah, that's stupid.

- Well, I don't know.
- No, guys, I will just raise my hand

and pretend like I'm waving at somebody.

- I'll just raise my hand.
- Okay. Yeah, that's great.

- Don't.
- What are you doing?

Spread out. Let's go.

- Scatter.
- Come on.

Ms. Stewart.

All right, what exactly
are you and I doing?

I believe you are
vesting me with authority.

And how long does that take?

Just until Walter's seen it.

Oh, cheese.

Right there.

There! No, not you. Move.

Go, um, give... give the signal.

- Mr. Dickens?
- Yes?

Hi! I'm Tamryn Shaw.

I'm doing a story on the C.E.O. vacancy.

I can't really comment on board policy.

Look, I don't need anything on the record.

I'm just trying to cut through some
of the rumors about Jim Clemons.

- Jim?
- The whole Stillman report thing.

No, I'm afraid I don't know
what you're talking about.

Well, obviously, a lot of
people are talking about

how Jim would be perfect for the job

but he's not being mentioned publicly.

I guess that's where rumors come from.

The real conspiracy theorists
think it was your competition,

allied, who got his name taken
out of the Stillman report.

- Why would they do that?
- Because they want him.

But Jim's not going anywhere
unless you give him a reason.

So allied paid to squash the
name so you'd overlook him,

and they could use the
slight to pry him out of here.

I can't comment, except to say that,

obviously, Jim is a highly
valued member of the team.

Excuse me.

You're good, Walter.

These are so small.

- Can I just keep it?
- Clark, Clark.

What?

Walter. It just makes more
sense because they're...

- No. There's Walter.
- Oh, yeah.

Positioning is perfect. Send him in.

Hey. I'm sorry to interrupt.

Can... can I ask you a question in privacy?

Sure. Excuse me. Thanks.

It's kind of embarrassing. I, uh...

you see, I have this drink,
and I spilled on my shirt.

Oh. I mean, the whole board is here,

and I don't want to look like an idiot.

See that guy talking to Jim Clemons?

- Who is it?
- He's a headhunter. Works with Gray and White.

They deal exclusively with
executives for top-10 firms.

Guess the rumors are true.

I heard there's at least
three firms after him.

I can't believe the board

would leave him so open
to being poached like that.

No.

- What?
- No!

What?

That tall guy... he can't be there.

He'll sub... subconsciously minimize Jim!

- Wait, wait.
- No, no, no.

No, no, no.

I'm sure they'll at least interview him.

They'd be crazy not to.

Hi.

I'm sorry, but you need to move.

I heard the board got his
name pulled from the report

themselves so he could be
their surprise candidate.

That almost makes sense.

Height is a form of dominance display

that... that subconsciously
minimizes our subject.

- So just seeing you stand here means...
- I don't know what you're talking about.

You're messing everything
up, and you need to move.

- Is that clearer?
- Just Just step over... hey.

- Would you excuse me for a second?
- Sure.

- I'm so sorry.
- Yeah. You look fine.

- Step over here.
- Hey, hey, hey!

Is there a problem here?

This guy is messing up our whole strategy!

- Clark, relax.
- I am relaxed! Look... hey, hey, hey!

He's not listening, okay?
We can't be here right now!

Sir, sir, I need you to leave, okay?

Don't!

- Don't! Don't! I said don't!
- You have to calm down, sir!

- Calm down!
- I am calm!

I can go out myself, all right?!
You don't need to push me!

You need to go out right now. No!

Oh!

We nailed it.

A guy that tall is a
walking-dominance display.

- He's distracting from...
- All right, let me get this straight.

You... you were worried
about a distraction.

You decided to solve it with a melee? Huh?

I asked him politely to leave.

- I thought you could handle this.
- I was, Ross.

- Guys.
- It was your job.

- What?
- What, Miles? Behind you.

Ms. Stewart.

That was impressive.

- Ms. Stewart...
- I may not understand the infinite complexities

of the human mind, Dr. Edwards,

but I understand that I trusted you,

handed you everything
that was important to me,

everything that I've worked
for, and you made me regret it.

We don't know that it didn't work.

Do you really think that Walter
was still paying attention

to us after Clark started
wrestling tall people?

Hi.

I'm looking for Mr. Edwards.

Um, which one?

It's fine, Latrell. I'll take this.

Would you like to step into my office?

So...

So...

She didn't take the bait.

- She didn't believe you were a lawyer?
- No, no, she believed.

She just wasn't tempted... at all.

- What kind of numbers did you throw out?
- I was mentioning somewhere

in the neighborhood of
$300,000 as a settlement...

no trial, nothing.

- She's in love, Ross.
- Come on.

Not only was she not interested in a suit,

she threatened to hire a lawyer

and come after me if I
did anything to hurt Clark.

I would say that she's a lot closer

to being your sister-in-law
than she is to disappearing.

Great.

Well, appreciate the help.

Oh, God Not nearly as much

as I appreciate you thinking about me.

I mean, since I... I got out,

I've been trying to do
the right thing, really,

but it's hard when your
record is blemished.

Believe me... I am well aware.

So... I was thinking, with a job like this,

you know, something where
I could use what I know

but stay out of trouble...

I'd love to help you out, but right now,

we can't even afford to
pay for our light bulbs.

Chris just heard from Dickens' assistant.

They're making plans to
bring Jim in for an interview.

That's great! Does Clark know?

What are you doing?

Oh, um...

I was getting, like, a
high-five vibe, I thought.

I don't know. It... it... it seemed app...

Thank you, person!

You see? I fit right in.

Hey! You heard?

This is good!

Mm... we got lucky.

I almost blew it.

But you didn't.

But I could have.

Ross, I...

I can't be responsible for
other people's lives like this.

I'm barely managing mine. I...

You're the only reason
the rest of us are here.

Who you are makes all of this possible.

Who I am is the problem.

You delivered what you promised.

That's what you do. That's who you are.

So, some drinks get spilled.

We'll get better at
helping you manage that.

Never lose sight of the fact

that this is a win because
of you, not in spite of you.

Huh?

Come on!

Hey.

Want to go get something to eat?

Actually, I'd love to, but, uh,

got some other messes to clean up.

She said she was a lawyer.

- She said there were legal repercussions.
- She wasn't a lawyer.

Yes, she was. Here, I have her card.

Justine was with me.

I hired her to talk with you.

There wasn't gonna be a lawsuit.

Given her history, she
pretty much hates lawyers.

Are you kidding me?

Ross, I haven't slept since
that woman came over here,

- and the whole time, you...
- Look, I needed to know if you were really here

for Clark or if you had
some kind of number in mind.

At least if you'd been
lying about being in love,

we'd be speaking the same language.

I have a lot of experience

dealing with liars who just want money.

Unfortunately, you seem
to be telling the truth.

- I am.
- Well, the truth isn't going to fix your back story

and the one that we created
for you to get close to Clark

wasn't built to last.

And, obviously, you're already slipping up.

Okay, so, what do we do? We
figure out the lies you've told.

We marry them to enough real
details from your background

so you don't forget under pressure.

And you're going to teach
me to do all of that?

I'll teach you what there is to teach.

What does that mean?

It means that lies are like boomerangs.

You throw them out as hard
and as far as you possibly can.

But, eventually, they always come back.

When they do, you just hope
that the people that are around

want to give you the benefit of the doubt.

I will give you a good story.

But eventually, if you
really want to make it,

you're gonna have to make
everybody love and trust you

just as much as Clark does.

So, this was in high school?

No, junior high. Why? Does it not work?

No, it's fine.

The stories should be
true when they can be.

You just have to make sure that
they connect up to the lies.

Okay, now, I... I'm curious, actually.

- Now, what did the coach do to you?
- Oh, he confiscated the whole bag,

- and then we never heard about it again.
- Of course he did! That's what they do.

- Typical. Unbelievable.
- Hey.

Hey!

What's... what's going?

Uh... nothing.

Uh, Beth and I, um...

Well, we kind of got off on the wrong foot,

thought we'd take a moment

to sort of get to know
each other a little better.

I'm actually gonna head out,

so I will leave you two
lovebirds on your own.

- Beth, I enjoyed the chat.
- Me too.

- You.
- Oh, God.

Hey. Hold on. One sec.

Hey.

Hey.

I really...

it means a lot to see you doing this.

I really... I appreciate it.

It's no big deal. I was on my way home.

They officially offered
our decoy candidate, Jim,

the opportunity to interview for C.E.O.

Yeah, Cathy's as good as
in. We already knew that.

He turned them down.

Cathy just sat down with Jim herself.

He says he knows he's not
gonna win against her and Trent.

He doesn't want to put
himself and his family

through the entire process
for a hopeless cause.

We don't have time to
trump up another candidate.

Our only chance is to convince Jim

that he's actually got
a shot at winning this.

But you handpicked him because
he has no chance of winning.

What kind of person
doesn't want to be the boss?

The kind who's smart enough

to know they're never gonna get the job.

There you go... you dumb him down a little,

and you're home free.

That's actually a brilliant idea.

Was it actually an idea?

We're gonna need a very attractive female.

- Megan.
- Older. Someone with gravity.

Actually, I might know just the person.

You understand... this is a one-off deal.

- That's...
- Can you please stop focusing on firing me

before I've even done anything?

This her?

Clark, this is Samantha Gordon.

Are you ovulating?

Um, that's a new one.

It would really help if you were ovulating.

You know, it occurs to me that
you might have been a bit vague

about what exactly you wanted me to do.

Just put that on, and
I'll explain on the way.

You'll see... it'll have
something to do with science.

The human brain is essentially two parts...

the basal ganglia, which
is the most primitive one

and guides your most
primal, impulsive instincts,

then the prefrontal cortex,
which is most recently evolved

and is responsible for your
consciousness and reasoning.

Trick is... primitive
one's driving the bus.

Of the higher-functioning part,

it can offer advice, opinions, cautions.

But the primitive one makes the final call

on whatever we're going to do.

So if we aim our approach at
Jim's most basic instinct...

... while quieting his higher brain,

he should do exactly what we ask him to.

The sexual instinct is the strongest

and most primal one we face.

In the presence of an attractive female,

men immediately experience
a boost in testosterone,

find themselves driven to more
thoughtless, risky behavior.

That's why I asked if you were ovulating.

It exacerbates this behavior.

The color red signals a sexual display

and demands one in return,

compelling Jim to try to be impressive.

You'll introduce yourself

as an executive
salary-negotiation specialist,

which will imbue you with expert authority.

Our reasoning centers
have been shown to largely

turn off when we're told
we're listening to an expert.

We simply take in what they're
saying without regards to risk.

Yeah, I'm getting a pretty
good sense of how that works.

We've done our homework, Jim,

and you are a genuine diamond in the rough.

Oh, well, I'm sorry.

I... I don't see it.

Well, that modesty is what
makes people love you, Jim.

- Oh.
- If I didn't think that you could actually win,

I wouldn't be wasting my time.

Wait! There's one more strategy

that we want you to employ...

- rhyming.
- Rhyming?

In study after study,

when information is presented
in the form of a rhyme,

it boosts processing fluency

and is... is judged to be
more accurate and persuasive.

Do you seriously want me to
rhyme in a business meeting?

- Yes.
- There were over 100 days of expert testimony

in the O.J. Simpson trial,
all of which was trumped

by the most persuasive rhyme in history...

"If it doesn't fit... "

"You must acquit."

Trust me. This is gonna work.

The thing is, Jim, the
bold end up with the gold.

Yes. Y... y... you keep saying that.

So show them that's you.

Let people see that you're a real leader.

You're the kind of
person this company needs.

You're the kind of person
this company deserves.

No, I... it's just never gonna happen.

Uh, between Cathy and Trent?

I'm... I'm sorry, but I don't
want to put myself and my family

through something like this

when I know there's no way
they're gonna take me over them.

Look, I really appreciate the... the visit,

but I don't want to waste
any more of your time. I...

You know what, Jim? You
know what? You're right.

You can't win.

Both those other candidates are stronger,

and one of them is absolutely
gonna be the next C.E.O.

But here's the thing...

it doesn't matter.

You are gonna be a different person

just for interviewing for the job,

and having been a candidate for the top job

is something that a person like me can use

to get you a 30% bump to stay right

where you are the next
time your contract is up.

You don't have to win. You just...

have to be in... Jim.

Hey. Hey, guys, I'm sorry.

Okay? I'm sorry. It wasn't working.

I had to go with something else.

Confidence priming has been
shown to be far more effective

than lose-win scenarios.

That's why we drew it up that way.

It's... it's not always
an immediate effect.

You should have let him
sit with it for a while.

Okay, look, I'm... I'm no scientist,

but I've developed a
pretty keen eye for knowing

when someone's gonna take the
bait, and Jim wasn't biting.

I... I don't know, like,
the technical term for it,

but I do know that dollar
signs let you point someone

in the direction that you want them to go.

So, Jim knew that he was gonna lose.

Instead of fighting it,

I just convinced him that
losing still got him paid.

I... I... I did use a rhyme,
if that's worth anything.

Yes, yes.

- I mean...
- Uh, thank you for your help.

Hey, we'll see you back at
the... at the office, okay?

Oh, come on. You'd have
done the same thing.

And it's still gonna work.

I'm telling you, if you just
give me a chance, I really...

I told you... I shouldn't be
writing you this check as it is.

It's not about the money to me, Ross.

Look, I'm trying to be a good girl...

just looking for a lifeline here.

- When something changes...
- Yeah, yeah.

I know how this part goes.

Hello.

Really?

Ahh, no, no. No. No.

I... I actually think that's
a really smart decision, Jim.

Yeah, you know what? I'm, um...

I'm actually in the middle
of a negotiation right now,

so can I call you back?

Great, great. Thanks.

He wants the interview,

wanted to talk about what
sort of salary demands

to make when he came up again.

I just won your case.

You're welcome.

Sam, why are you being this way?

I told you when you did it
that it was a one-time thing.

But on the bright side,
it's nice to finally

walk out of a meeting
where I don't get the job

and feel like it's because
the other person is an idiot.

You sure that's a good idea?

Caffeine actually increases the speed

at which you process sensory information.

You think, act, talk faster.

Somebody gave you the
impression you talk too slowly.

She got it?!

She got it! Chris just called! Cathy...

- Got the job. We put it together.
- Yeah! Mm! Come on!

- I didn't play sports. This is what I have.
- Yeah!

I don't really know what to say.

Well, it was really asymmetrical dominance.

No, no, brains, planes,
mice, asymmet... whatever.

You did it... all of you.

It means more to me than you can know.

Thank you.

Chris, did we get the champagne?

Uh, I'm sorry. There's a problem.

What?

It's Jim.

- They're letting him go.
- What?

A... apparently, they
discovered some inconsistencies

in his background...

lies about his education
and the first couple jobs.

That's why he didn't want to interview.

Until we pushed him into it.

Look, this can't... you... you...

We... we...

we chose this strategy,

rather than attacking your opponent

specifically because we
didn't want anyone getting hurt

while delivering you the job.

Ms. Stewart, you... you... you have...

- you have to go say something. You have to go tell them that...
- I already have.

You knew?

I was informed this morning.
I urged them to reconsider.

Urged them? You're the new C.E.O.

No, it's more complicated than that.

He did lie. There are
issues of legal liabilities.

- Without a degree, he...
- Stop, stop.

Listen to yourself. You don't
even believe what you're saying.

You know where I'd be if people
still focused on what I did

instead of what I'm doing?

Jim is your guy... you didn't fight for him

to get promoted because of his r?sum?.

You fought for him because you knew
that he was damn good at his job.

- Yes, but what what ha...
- Cathy, I know how much you want this,

how hard you've worked for it,
but this isn't the way you want it.

You know Jim, really know Jim,

and if you don't stand
up for him, then who will?

And if that is the person
that you have to become

in order to get this job,
you're not winning anything.

You're losing everything.

Ms. Stewart, the board is waiting for you.

Don't let them do this to Jim or to you.

I'm sorry.

I need to go.

After an exhaustive and thorough search,

it gives me great pleasure to
introduce the person we feel

has all the tools to lead this company

to new levels of prosperity and success.

Ladies and gentlemen, the new
C.E.O. of Bellerman Consulting,

Mr. Trent Hanes!

- Congratulations.
- You bet.

I don't understand. You were fired?

I believe they regretfully
accepted my resignation

after I explained that
if they didn't keep Jim,

- they wouldn't be keeping me.
- That's not right.

- There are legal remedies we could look into.
- No, no, no, no, no.

Once I locked eyes with that corner office,

I got away from myself.
I lost sight of who I was.

- I'm sorry.
- I thought I would be, too,

but I actually felt better
turning in my security badge

than I did when they asked me to be C.E.O.

And it turns out

that saying no to a job you've
worked your whole life for...

apparently,

it gives people the impression
you're a bit of a Maverick.

Some bunch of college dropouts
called me from Silicon Valley,

practically begging me to
run their company for them.

What?

Turns out that an older woman

who not only has experience, but
isn't afraid to buck convention

happens to be exactly what they need

to make themselves legitimate.

And since none of them have degrees,

they didn't blink when I
mentioned bringing Jim with me.

Oh, that's great.

Working with you guys has reminded me

that there's something nice

about being surrounded by
people who are young and hungry.

So, technically, we got you two jobs.

Yeah, but I'm still
only gonna pay you once.

- We should celebrate.
- Yes!

Drinks are on Miles!

Let me get another shot.

Ah, that's a good band.

Thanks. Oh, thanks.

Hi. Hey.

So, uh, too late to say I'm sorry?

- For?
- Hmm.

Can it, uh, be a blanket
apology, just covers everything?

I have issued a lot of those.

Yes, you have.

What you said to Cathy,
Ross... I was surprised.

Why?

Well, the Ross that went to jail...

He didn't seem like the type...

to trumpet the value of
relationships over money.

That Ross occasionally got confused,

ended up with a lot of time
alone to think about it.

Hey, you know, I, uh...

I've been meaning to tell you
that when Clark gets worked up,

there's, uh, a trick I used to use

that I thought you may find handy.

- doesn't always work, but...
- Hey! I know you!

- I don't think so.
- Yeah, yeah. You're Beth's friend, right?

I live next door... or I did.

You borrowed a phone
charger a few months back.

- Ross, right?
- No, you got me mixed up with somebody else.

I don't know you. I don't know.

Claire, Claire, wait.

Did I say something? What happened?

Just wait a second. Wait a second.

Look, she's crazy, that
girl. I don't know who she...

Your name... she knew your name, Ross.

And a week ago, I was standing there

when you claimed you met Beth
for the first time in the lobby.

Okay, okay. Look...

The truth is that when I found out

that Clark was dating a
student, I was worried,

so I went down to the campus
just to check things out...

That's all. That's good. That's good.

No, that's very good.
That's very believable.

You are like singularly
talented at saying things

that are just indistinguishable
from the truth.

- I'm not listening anymore.
- Claire...

No. And you know what the worst part is?

The worst part is, is that I knew it.

I knew in my gut that this would happen.

And for one second, I
thought you had changed.

Look, don't leave, okay?

Everybody's waiting for us.
What am I supposed to tell them?

Just...

make something up.

They won't know what hit them.