Spanish Banner: Intercambio de Enlaces
Spanish Banner: Intercambio de Enlaces.

Business



She hadn't planned on being five minutes late, but the there had been an accident on the highway that had delayed traffic.
"Madame is fashionably late." Louis smiled at her charmingly, and she smiled back.
The table and the cabinets in the conference room were made from oak. There was a glass top on the table. The chairs were black leather, very expensive.
"Madame. we've been busy interviewing scientists for the various teams that we will be putting together, and we would like your comments. As you will see, they will provide the various skills that we need for this operation."
Madame Chartier had read the resumes that morning while drinkng her coffee. All as qualified as they could be, but...
"We need a safety team to provide suggestions as we try new energy routes. We need business managers to keep track of costs and profits from different regions, and to look for ways of reducing expenses in order to improve profits."
"Yes, you've put a lot of work into this, Henri." Madame Chartier got up from her chair and walked over to the window.
"Thank you, Madame, are there any questions?"
She turned and looked at them.
"I have one."
She looked at their faces. Faces, which showed a controlled amount of polite curiosity.
"Actually, it's not a question."
She paused, making eye contact with each person at the table.
"Henri put together a good plan, and a good budget, but one thing was forgotten. If you could turn to page five, you will see that for my salary, I am to receive 0.1% of the profits."
"But Madame, I thought you had asked for a percentage, to provide incentives for every person to work harder to improve over our current estimates."
"The number is wrong. I want 10%."
"Madame, that is inconceivable. The board would never agree to it."
She clenched her teeth.
"The board. You speak of the board as if they were the ones with the power, the ones providing the power. I am the power!" Her voice was quiet, but sharp.
"Without me there would be nothing for the board to oversee. None of these people you have hired to assist me understand the science and the technology the way I do."
"Be careful, Madame. The stakes are high, and...."
"Are you threatening me Petro?" She turned and stared at him.
"I'm only stating my concern."
"Petro, if something happens to me an attorney somewhere in the western hemisphere will go to a vault and release a file to a company in the United Americas which will become your first competitor. Imagine how profits will fall when countries can purchase power from someone else."
"Madame, you've put a lot of thought into this."
"Yes."
"Perhaps you can explain to us how we are going to present your ultimatum to the board."
"I can sweeten the poison, Petro. Two weeks ago I found a pathway that is 20% more efficient, which provides enough extra money to pay my "outragious" salary, and then some. By the way, you may tell me that you need some time to consider this. You might take some time to consider this– I might tell you I have connections very high up, very powerful, very threatening, but then, I can't confirm it because you don't know where I came from, or who I am!" Once again her voice wasn't loud, but it was sharp.


continue