Satisfied With Love Ch. 06

Author's Notes: It will behoove the reader to start with 'Satisfied With Love Ch. 01' to get all the background information and the beginning of this novel.

Keep the comments coming. I read each one. I do hope you enjoy the novel.

MDSW

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"Congratulations on your relationship you two!" Craig said shaking Brad's hand. "I have never seen Kristi happier than she is right now. She is glowing, but.... Even you're a little different than the first day I spoke with you. You have confidence you didn't have when I laid the bombshell on you. I must say, you handled it better than most people do and I am favorably impressed with your performance as an owner."

"Thanks, Craig, I feel like I have grown up during my time here and somewhat grown into this job."

"You have. Do you and your sisters have time for the contract reviews?" Craig asks.

"Sure. Let's do it."

Brad collects his two sisters and Kristi and follows Craig to the business suite. On the way, he told his sisters what they are going to do. He also told Jeni where they would be if she needs them.

"Kristi, why are you so teary," Craig asks after he notices Kristi with tears in her eyes as they enter the business suite.

Brad replies quickly, "I just kicked her out of her en-suite."

"That is not the whole story Craig," Kristi said smiling. "He just asked me to move in with him. I'm just a little happy right now is all."

Peggy and Stacy hugs them both before Brad starts the meeting.

"Before we get to the reviews," Brad said as they take their seats, "I would like to discuss a few things."

Craig nods.

"First, is my desire is to end contract termination dates for specific employees so I'd like to ask you about open employment contracts. Do you have any problems with them?"

"Not if they're properly worded, Craig said. "Who do you have in mind?"

"All the assistants," he replies.

"May I ask why?"

"Of course you may. Go ahead, ask.... Just kidding."

They all smile. Craig chuckles.

"First, it removes some of the stress involved in this job, knowing their employment does not automatically terminate at some point in the future," Brad began.

"Second, my goal is to reduce the turnover rate at this level because every time we have to replace an assistant, it slows us down while the new assistant catches up."

"Third, job performance and attitude should dictate salary. That way, everyone gets a similar evaluation based on those and other factors."

"Fourth, I'm trying to eliminate the fact that the better negotiator gets the better salary, which may not reflect their abilities as an assistant. Refer to the third point above."

"Fifth, my two assistants don't like termination dates."

"Peggy, what do you think about this?"

"As you put it, Brad. Five good reasons. Rick doesn't like termination dates either."

"Stacy?"

"Same with Anita," Stacy said.

"Sounds like we all agree!"

"Wait Brad, you didn't ask Kristi," Peggy said.

"Not so, Peggy. She was the first person I asked, before we departed for our trip. Jeni was the second. They are the fifth reason I gave."

"Oh. Okay then. You're off the hook."

She winks at him.

"Brad, I like it. It also saves me some work. Let me think about the words for the contract and I will get back to you."

"One down," Brad said. "Next up is the 'no hanky panky rule between professionals' in the company rulebook, Craig. I would like it removed."

"Again, may I ask why?"

"Primarily because you can't control who you fall in love with, or in lust with for that matter. Kristi and I are a perfect example of that. It's completely out of our hands. Telling people they can't fall in love is ludicrous. If the attraction is there, it happens, with or without a rule. I do not agree that it is necessary to fire people just because they fall in love either, but, they should always act in a professional manner while at work. Nor should their personal relationship affect their work performance. Also, assistants need personal relationships with their leader so they communicate better. Some people may consider that hanky panky."

"Peggy, Stacy, what do you think?"

They both agree, but said they are learning this and it is too soon for them to offer an opinion on the matter.

"I won't argue that, either. I will get it done.... May I make an observation?" Craig asks.

"Sure, go for it."

"You are making changes here that are out of the norm. My only problem with that is I can't find fault with them, other than to say 'it's not normally done'," he said smiling. "Good philosophy, Brad. I'm beginning to think that people will like working for you. Just be careful, however, your companies don't turn into orgies."

Laughing, Brad said, "Thank you Craig. Great advice. Make sure there is something in the rulebook to deter that from happening please and we will resolve this issue at a later date.... Next up Craig, is Craig Alden. You are getting to the point where you may want to enjoy the fruits of your long commitment to living. Do you have your replacement in the works yet?"

Craig replies, chuckling, "Nicely put, Brad. I was going to talk about that very thing at the end of this meeting but we can do it now. I have five individuals I am evaluating as my replacement. When I do decide on one, I will set up an interview with the team and we will go from there."

"Thank you Craig. Always thinking ahead."

"Done."

"Next up is Kristi's promotion. I would like to promote her to lead senior executive assistant. She will handle all matters pertaining to assistants and will oversee their performance, training and reviews. She will have total authority over them, including employment decisions. Literally, she will be their boss. Specifically, she will be overseeing Jeni, Anita and Rick and any others that are employed as an assistant or staff for the three of us, plus, maintain her current contract duties. What is her current salary?"

"If I may interject Brad. Do you want to discuss this in her presence? It is not usually done."

"I am not a usual boss either, as you have learned. Besides, I have already discussed this new position with her and we have no secrets. She knows my salary by now and I'm about to find out her's so there are no problems as far as I'm concerned," Brad replies.

"No problems here either," Kristi said.

"I'm beginning to see that," Craig said. "Her salary is $70 grand a year Brad."

I would like her to have the new open employment contract and increase her salary to $85 grand, effective when the new contract, which includes her promotion, is signed. Her current contract doesn't expire for two more years. If she signs this one, it will terminate the other. Stacy, Peggy, you on board with this?"

"Sure Brad. She is your assistant. You can do what you feel is right by her," Peggy said and Stacy agrees.

"Got it," Craig said.

"Next is Anita. How long has she worked here, when is her contract up and what does she make?"

"Anita has been here for two years, roughly. She has no marks on her record, her contract terminates in one year and she is earning $54 grand a year," Craig replies.

"Stacy, you're up."

"I don't feel I am the best qualified to evaluate her performance and because of that, I don't want my inexperience to stop her from getting what she deserves. At minimum, my desire is to raise her salary to $58 grand. However, in Kristi's new position, I would like her to make that decision."

"I feel she is opening up to me and becoming more effective at her duties, but because I don't really know what she is capable of doing, I don't know what to ask of her. I'm not even sure what I should expect from an assistant, either. I'm use to doing most everything myself. It's not easy to change that quickly. I would like to keep her with me, though. Kristi?"

"I have very few problems with Anita. She continues to improve her performance so I will agree with you," Kristi said. "But I would like to push her salary up to $60 grand though. We need to keep her talent in the family."

"Stacy, may I give you and Peggy some advice?"

"Absolutely, Kristi. I would welcome that very much," Stacy said giving her a shoulder bump and smiles.

Both Peggy and Stacy have grown to like Kristi better since the announcement and are willing to give her a more favorable outlook. Brad is no dummy and, after all, he did pick her, so they decide it's time for them to follow his lead when it comes to Kristi, whether they like it or not.

"I would appreciate it also Kristi," Peggy said.

Kristi smiles, putting them at ease.

"Ninety-nine percent of assistants are born to assist. For the more serious of them, it's in their DNA. They have one primary job goal - performance. Helping you get your job done is the mark of a great assistant. It makes them happy to accomplish that. They desire to do this job. Rick and Anita fall into this category."

"The biggest problem they face is the fear of insulting their boss, which results in instant termination most of the time. So, it can be said, looking through their eyes, if they do their job, they risk getting fired. They may even insult their boss without them knowing they did it. Next thing they know, they've been fired. They live in fear of that unwritten rule above all else."

"So, it makes them cautious about what they say, and therefore, what they do. This conflict is their reality and it impedes their performance. The other problem they face right now is, after working here for about a year, they are starting all over with a new boss. To them, its like starting a new job."

"If you want to help Anita and Rick, the best thing you can do for them is to remove that 'getting fired' barrier. They do not want to insult you, nor do they want to get fired. Give them boundaries they should not cross, but at the same time, don't hold it against them if they do cross one because no-one is perfect. Do let them know and discuss it with them if it happens, however."

"Helping them means don't bring it up by giving them list of rules they have to follow. That is what a boss does. You are a leader. Get to know them personally then bring up the subject in casual conversation. Learn what makes them tick and your relationship will go a long way."

"One of the best ways to break down that barrier is to have a personal and professional relationship with them and get to know them on both levels. Become best friends. Earn their trust. Tell them a problem you are facing and ask for help. Then, let them do what they are trained to do. They will feel better about their performance, better about their job and better about you. Be willing to communicate with them in a friendly manner."

"Don't be afraid to admit your shortcomings. They know you have never done this before. Ask them how they can help you. Then, just give them the opportunity and they will love you for it, not to mention help you in more ways than you will ever know. When you achieve a great relationship, you will have laughed and cried with them. That is the mark of a great leader, and a great assistant. I have achieved that with Brad, but it was a rocky road for me, as you know."

"Let me share a short story with you, hoping it will help you relate to me as an assistant and the assistant's job. This is a very important lesson I learned about two weeks ago, the day before your father's funeral. It is important to me because I knew, at that time, I was doing a perfect job, until Brad got very pissed at me in an instant. Then things changed in a heartbeat."

"Part of my job is to protect my boss, Brad," she said smiling and motioning to him. "Upon learning his parents were going on a cruise ship, I dispatched a security team to protect them as they enjoy the cruise, but for whatever reason, I neglected to explain to Brad what I did and why I did it."

"When his parents called his personal phone, I answered it because Brad was preoccupied.... Before I continue with my story, I must explain that I am trained to answer phone calls as part of my job. I had Brad's phone and when it rang and I answered it by reflex. I was not thinking about what phone it was, I just answered it. Brad viewed this as me encroaching on his personal life, something I was not intentionally trying to do. I spoke to his parents and checked his emails without thinking it would cause a problem. I just wanted to help him get his work done and keep him moving to stay on schedule. That was one of the things that set him off, but that was not the worst thing."

"Back to the story.... I chatted with his parents for a while and they told me they were spending time with a father-daughter pair they met on the ship. I told Brad that and he wondered about the father-daughter. It sounded strange to him. They were the security team that was assigned the job. His parents had no clue, but Brad picked up on it immediately. We talked about security prior to this, but not about ransom."

"When Brad realized that I put a security team on his parents without his knowledge, he went to immediate anger because he was not aware they may be in danger. It suddenly dawned on me what I had done. He was mad at me for two reasons, not one. He did not yell at me, as Danny always did, but, in an instant, his words were very forceful, very direct, very meaningful, very unmistakable, even a bit louder. At the time, Brad did not understand that his parents could be targets for ransom and may possibly be in danger of being kidnaped for that purpose."

"The moment he spoke, I knew I fucked up and he was going to fire me. I was still building my relationship with him and I was suddenly aware I was not doing the perfect job I thought I was. I was very insecure and he was major mad at me. I could see it in his eyes and hear it in his tone. He thought something he did put his parents in danger and I should have warned him about it."

"He was right. I should have."

"Brad laid down the law about friends and family that day. I apologized for not explaining it to him in advance, but the argument did not stop there. Brad continued badgering me about any topic I brought up, one of which was his personal phone. I did not feel I deserved the badgering so I got mad at him as a result. Later, he apologized for going off on me. I learned about his triggers as a result of that and that one trigger, to this day, has been his biggest."

"Danny Packard never apologized.... for anything. Brad chewed on me for three minutes for screwing up. Danny would chew on me for an hour after I screwed something up."

"This argument was a huge relationship builder for the two of us, unlike previous arguments. To this day, it is the most heated discussion we ever had. I believe a normal boss would have fired me."

"I had already made two mistakes, up to this point, when I apologized to Brad. When I made my third mistake, I did not realize I was doing it, at the time."

"I felt relieved when he apologized. He removed the 'getting fired' barrier for me, without realizing he had done it. Was that our last argument? No. We've had several discussions since. Matter of fact, we had another one the next day, the morning of the funeral of all times, about taking time off. But, because we have established a personal relationship, we can have disagreements and still maintain a level of professionalism for our jobs. Brad understands he does not know everything he will face. Part of my job is to inform him based on my experience. I was Danny's assistant for four years and have seen and heard many things."

"My point being, different people react different ways. So, in order to have a good relationship with your assistant, you need to talk to them and take mental notes. Talk about anything and everything, including personal stuff. A personal relationship with them is just as important as a professional relationship. Anita will soon be your right arm, Stacy. She needs to know you as well as you know you. The more she knows, the better she can assist you."

"Wow.... Thanks Kristi. Greatly appreciated advice. Very educational. I'll do that. I was not aware that you two had that argument either. Now I understand why Brad made you lead assistant and trainer," Stacy replies.

"Understand? What does that mean, Stacy?" Brad asks.

"Well, not knowing Kristi all that well, I just assumed...."

"Assumed what? Of all people, did you really think I'm promoting her because she is fucking her boss?" Brad blurts out, his mind flashing back to Kristi's comment about other people's perception of her new position.

The room went completely quiet as Brad's face changes expressions.

"Truth. Yeah, I sorta did."

"Peggy, you too?"

"Yeah, sorta."

Brad is pissed. He moves his hands over his face, not knowing how he is going to handle this. After briefly thinking, he engages the problem before him.

"Allow me to understand this. Both of you thought the absolute worst of our top staff member and me, based on an assumption, with no facts to back it up. Is that what I'm hearing?"

"I'm sorry Brad! That sounds terrible when it's put that way. I'm sorry Kristi!" as they both spoke at the same time.

His sisters begin to feel extremely bad about what they have done. Brad is in shock at this revelation. He cannot believe his ears. His demeanor changed instantly and he is not happy and even more pissed off.

"Oh my god girls! I can't believe you would think that. Shit! I thought you knew me better than that. My communication skills really suck," he said as he got up and stood behind his chair.

His hands wanders over his face and through his hair, not believing what he just heard.

"God dammit!" he yells out.

He thought for a bit, then returns to his seat, leans back in his chair, crosses his arms in front of him as Kristi moves her hand toward him. Brad ignores her hand. Kristi knows he is fuming. As Brad gets himself under limited control, he thought about the problem again, and responds.

"Craig, do you believe Kristi has been promoted to a position she is not qualified for?" Brad asks.

"No, Brad. She is more than qualified for this new job. Danny thought she was way overqualified when he hired her."

"Has she been promoted since she started working here?"

"She is the fastest to ever move up the ladder with Danny promoting her and increasing her salary nine times in four years. Including this promotion, it will be ten times in four years," Craig said.

"Have I ever spoke with you about her performance?"

"Just once. I told you the first day we met that you could trust her, and that she is real good at her job."

"Thanks Craig. Kristi, are qualified to perform this job?"

"Yes, Brad. I can do it."

"I learned she is capable of doing this job by interacting with her. I asked her several questions about assistant staffing a while ago that convinced me she is capable."

"Now you know better girls. I do not promote based on favors. I promote based on performance and attitude. Kristi's performance and attitude has been over the top. That is why I'm promoting her and that is why I gave her a raise. It is just one of many reasons why she deserves it."

Kristi, reaching for his hand again, attempting to stop his conversation by saying, "Brad, I...."

"Excuse me Kristi, I'm not finished," he said, interrupting her, his words becoming more forceful, stronger, louder and direct, causing Kristi to back off.

"I hope that changes your mind girls. And yes, that incident she described did happen but Kristi is wrong, I was not pissed. I was very fucking pissed. Similar to now. But, I said what I had to say and moved on. At that moment, I wasn't concerned with what she did, because she did what she was trained to do to protect us. My concern was I didn't know she did it. It didn't occur to me that my parents were in any danger just because I got a new job. Being held for ransom is a new experience for me and I was not thinking about the ramifications of being kidnaped and paying ransom. I was still pissed off after that as well and I found myself picking several fights with her for no reason, other than she was there, about any topic she raised, until I realized what I was doing. That was when and why I apologized for going off on her. We have to work together and if I can't get it together, I will never be able to maintain a long term assistant."