Another brilliant piece from a GUNNAS WRITING MASTERCLASS WRITER.
They weren’t quite sure what Senior HR Executive Barbara Colt had just said. She had been striding animatedly from side to side on the “World Summit” stage in her serious navy Pantsuit, crisp white shirt and ‘Madonna Mike’ looking enthusiastic. Something about ‘new Global focus’ and ‘Talent Management’ had registered, but sitting obediently shoulder to shoulder rubbing suits, uncomfortably cold in the enormous ballroom, mesmerised by her perky powerpoint slide of bright geometrics – the local Sales team, who occupied the entire back row, had slowly begun to register.
Steve whispered to Sophie “see the pea shape in the middle of the slide?.” Sophie could see the pea – it had been more like a pink grapefruit originally, then with a powerpoint ‘whoosh’ it had become an orange, before unceremoniously morphing into a green pea surrounded by larger encroaching circles during Barbara’s ‘DCM’ section of her presentation: ‘Directional Career Management.’ “That’s our department” Steve hoarsely whispered, barely containing his distress. Sophie had already joined the dots. At best, they would now be an irritant like in the ‘princess and the pea’ – giving all the Global divisions they were now subservient to the shits while simultaneously having to provide them with resources and knowledge. At worst –hello Centrelink. It made winning her current Deal even more critical – her job may depend on it. Frank – not the brightest crayon – had also finally cottoned on: “DCM – don’t come Monday” they mean, he cracked. Nobody in the back row laughed.
Sophie checked out the Executive panel sitting uncomfortably upright in their line of chairs stage right. They were taking in the Barbara show. His glossy hair and visage caught under a stray spotlight, Global Director of Sales, Andy O’Connell looked pleased with himself in a smug sort of way. Still (relatively) young, Andy’s, rise had been (relatively) meteoric, and the global move had totally played – unexpectedly – into his deeply ambitious hand. Much to almost everyone in the know’s surprise – Andy’s (not so) secret affair with Marketing Director Sandra – sitting primly on the opposite end of the Executive row – had not appeared to diminish either’s career prospects. Apparently not even being caught with your pants down in the staff kitchen in the early evening could dent one’s career trajectory. This state of affairs both confused and angered Sophie – and her feelings were reflected in the look on the face of Operations Director Paul Berry – sitting on Andy’s left. As hard as Paul had worked, he found himself passed over as a classified dinosaur in this brave new world. The rules had changed and no-one had enlightened him on the new playbook. Even his nemesis David Warren – Director of Platforms – seemed to display a rare irritation with the ‘new breed’ of directors. He sat on the Executive row looking impervious and above the others. But David, was a force to be reckoned with, with a history spoken about in hushed tones over private coffee meeting, and a Boardroom game unsurpassed. It had been said that he had been instrumental in the demise of the most recent CEO. Game on, Sophie thought to herself…
Kind Regards