Silver bullet

The Jolly Contrarian’s Glossary The snippy guide to financial services lingo.™ Go Premium A bullet with Frank's name on it yesterday Index — Click the ᐅ to expand: Glossary Comments? Questions? Suggestions? Requests? Insults? We’d love to 📧 hear from you. Sign up for our newsletter.

It is said that combat troops would often carry with them a single bullet with their own name engraved on it. A superstitious amulet; a warder-offer of the soldier's deepest fear: the bullet with my name on it can't hurt me, because I've got it."

In financial services firms we have the silver bullets too. They are flesh and blood. They are the weak gazelles. The one who, as long as he remains on the payroll, is the warm body who will take your bullet.

Now, you may be inclined to resent him. You may hate him. You may see in his continued engagement at your firm and recognition of the mediocrity that the firm will tolerate. All of this is true but he is your protection, your shield, your assurance that come what may as long as he still has longevity in his prospects with the firm, then so do you.