Killian

Feeling the pressure

       

Sidney

I was starting to feel the pressure of trying to keep all the balls in the air—managing three different business ventures was not always easy. This morning I had to squeeze three hours of work into the two hours I had before my flight left for New York. I walked into my office, dropped my bag on the credenza and took a deep, cleansing breath. I sat down and opened my email.

"Sid," Barb was poking her head into my office. "You have a second?"

"Uh ..."

"I know you don't, but it's important."

I waved her in and she closed the door behind her, walking over to my desk and handing me a tall cup of coffee from my favorite coffee shop.

"Thanks for this. What's up?" I asked, sliding on my reading glasses.

"You need to call Henry Walsh."

"Ugh. Right now?"

Henry Walsh was a billionaire real estate investor whom I liked and respected. But I didn't want to call him in my current frenzied mood.

"Henry's very upset. He's left multiple messages for you and has never gotten a call back."

My mouth dropped open in shock. "Henry? Henry Walsh? What the hell? Why didn't I get those messages?"

"Nicole and I divided up some tasks last week so she'd have more work. One of her jobs is managing phone messages and return calls."

Elbows on my desk, I let my head fall into my hands. "I wonder what other messages haven't been delivered."

"I'm sorry, I should have given her something else to do," Barb said. "Managing your calls is important. I goofed up."

I looked up at her. "Important, yes, but also very easy. You're sure Nicole knows this was expected of her? That she knows how to handle the task?"

Barb slid a sheet of paper toward me.

"I laid out responsibilities for both of us in writing and we both signed it and we each kept a copy."

"Oh, Barb," I said. "This whole thing has been so stressful for you."

"Sidney, I've been putting this off, but you and I need to talk. You have high standards for yourself and for your employees. I've always liked that about you. It makes all of us bring our A game to our job. Do you know how many people would love a shot to get in the door to work with you?

I knew where this conversation was headed and I was mad about not having initiated it myself.

"She doesn't deserve to stay, Sidney."

I nodded slowly, feeling deflated. "You're right, Barb. I hired her because her mom was a mentor to me, and I wanted to do something to help her daughter get a leg up in the business world. I've put up with too much for too long because of it. But, worse than that, I'm sorry for the stress it's created for you and everyone else in the front office. I'll fire her. Today."

"Good. Just remember, you aren't doing anyone a favor by condoning her behavior. She's been given plenty of opportunities to straighten up. This is the right decision."

Relief was already setting in. "Thank you, Barb. I'll remember all of this at bonus time."

"No," she said firmly. "Sidney, I don't have your back because I want more money. You pay me extremely well. You're dear to me, Sidney, and we've worked together for a long time. You're a very good woman. I tell my daughter all the time that you built this all on our own. No handouts. She's in college, and I want her to know she can do anything she sets her mind to. Just like you."