“So this is how it works?”
“Yes, that’s how it works.”
Our relationship resembled that of a teacher and student due to the age difference.
“We’re really like teacher and student.”
“Yes, it would be something like this if I had a student.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
“Teach me too, Professor.”
“Please don’t call me that, Brian.”
When we met occasionally for lessons, another former colleague, Brian, wanted to join, eager to learn my sales techniques.
I thought, with these two, that company will be okay.
I was relieved to see them positively trying to learn. Just like before, they could form a great team, much like Michael and I did in the past.
As for Laura, she ended up returning to her original company as a regular employee.
However, her lavish lifestyle and love for drinking couldn’t be supported by her regular salary, so she secretly started working at nightclubs.
But moonlighting was against her company’s rules, and once they found out, she was fired.
Now Laura is struggling to attract clients because of her haughty attitude, and she isn’t earning much.
It’s a sort of poetic justice, a case of cause and effect.
I saw her looking rough in downtown recently.
She caused a lot of trouble for others, so now it’s her turn to face difficulties.
Laura, who once fired me, now faces her own set of hardships.
She wouldn’t have thought this would happen back then.
She even contacted me using the business card I gave her.
“Uh, could you hire me at Bloom Dining?” she asked.
“That’s impossible. At least contact Michael,” I told her.
She contacted me too many times and was becoming a nuisance, so I passed her messages to Michael.
He replied, “I’m sorry, but I’m not interested in people like you, and frankly, I dislike you. Please don’t contact me or my colleagues in the future. To be honest, I don’t want to hear from you again.”
Michael clearly refused her, and after she kept trying to reach out to him, Michael contacted his lawyer.
She was then placed under a restraining order and could no longer approach him.
Being popular can be troublesome, but I never wanted this kind of attention.
Michael and I had worked together at one of the companies during my job-hopping days.
He had been engaged, but after his fiancée died in a car accident, he remained single since then.
He understood the nature of my work and began relying on me.
Now he’s thriving as a skilled senior in sales.
Meanwhile, I’m grateful to be using my skills at Bloom Dining, where I conduct research with a more generous budget than before.
Thanks to my efforts, Bloom Dining’s default rate decreased significantly, and we were able to understand our clients’ needs in more detail, leading to increased contract rates.
“It was definitely the right decision to bring you on board. You’ve made a significant difference,” Charles said.
“I’m glad to be of service to the company.”
“Everyone praises you. They said contracts became much easier to secure because you identify the needs so precisely.”
“That’s good to hear. I just did what I could. I’m really glad I joined this company.”
Meanwhile, back at my former company, I heard that Helen had taken over my research tasks and was doing a great job.
Brian informed me, “Her research skills are second only to yours, Scott.”
“Is that so? She did learn quickly when I was teaching her.”
“I thought I can’t let her outdo me,” Brian chuckled, feeling motivated by the competition.
It seems they’ve become good motivators for each other, and their research efforts have helped stabilize the sales department.
“Helen is like Scott’s student. Her methods are just like yours.”
“And you, Michael. You’ve been teaching Brian, right?”
“That’s true.”
While I was teaching Helen, Michael also gave advice to Brian whenever he could.
“Looks like it’s time for a generational shift.”
“Maybe. But since we’re at different companies, we’ll stay rivals for a while longer.”
“Indeed. We can’t afford to lose.”
Flashy jobs are easily noticed from the outside, but the supportive roles behind the scenes are just as important for a company’s growth.
While some in sales secure contracts, it’s the administrative staff who provide crucial support.
Cleaners keep the office and common areas tidy, contributing to the overall function.
An organization can grow because it has employees fulfilling various roles.
It’s often unclear who is doing what and how they contribute to the work.
However, it’s important to approach each role without prejudice and strive to understand the contribution of each member.
Leaders especially should never forget this.
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