In the private sector, every time we got a new CEO, they started with the highest paid person and asked 1 question. "If he were gone, would we know the difference?" I always felt relief when I knew the person they just let go was below my pay grade. I made the cut half dozen times before they sold the company. I didn't make that cut, but after a few weeks of being gone the new CEO ask if I wanted my job back. It was too late, I had already landed a much better job