The one-minute walk to where the firm's car was parked could probably be the longest I'd walked. I cast a quick glance at my immediate boss and one of the senior partners in Allen & Parker. She walked briskly beside me, her mouth tightened into a thin line and jaw clenched. I could feel disappointment and anger radiate from her slender body even though she hadn’t said a single word.
Matilda Jones, a middle-aged and brilliant solicitor, was all about perfection and sticking to the formal ways of interacting with the clients. She was considered the best in the firm next to Gregory Allen, the founder.
Graduating the best in my class, I joined the firm a few months ago but never had an opportunity to work with her. Other associates who worked with her confirmed she would take nothing less than perfection from any staff. I was excited when she informed me to shadow her on Julian Baker's case, a fashion label.
"I have ideas on how to bypass the fashion trolls negatively impacting Baker's label online," I said, handing her a file containing said information.
Matilda Jones tipped her eyeglasses closer to her eyes and looked through the file. She shook her head within a minute of skimming. "A PowerPoint on employing social media influencers? How is this relevant to the agreement we were briefed to draft?"
"Um, I believe when we pitch this idea to Julian Baker, he would be impressed that we handled his problem in a modern way."
Matilda Jones narrowed her eyes on me through her eyeglasses. "Are you saying my approach is outdated?" She asked quietly.
I shook my head vigorously as I was not ready to lose my job. "No, ma'am…"
"Don't call me that," she interrupted. "I know you are new here but let me offer you a piece of advice. To climb fast on the ladder of success in this firm, never assume you know better. I spent my entire career curating our clients' portfolios and the firm has always prided itself on a traditional pitch…not this…this social media or online things." She waved at my file, her lips curled in disdain. I nodded in silence.
At the roundtable meeting with Julian Baker and his top staff, Matilda pitched her solutions to the fashion house's problem and from the look on Baker's face, he was dissatisfied. I turned toward my immediate boss and whispered that we could present my pitch in PowerPoint. She reluctantly agreed.
Before the pitch was over, Julian Baker was impressed and asked to look through the documents covering the PowerPoint in detail. We left the Fashion House with a signed agreement worth fifteen million pounds. But Matilda Jones was unhappy.
"Are you okay?" I asked in excitement. I wanted to believe we had one aim —winning over the client and getting the job done— and we had achieved both regardless of the means.
Matilda did not respond till we got into the car and the driver steered the car gently into the light traffic. She sighed and I knew what was coming.
"Mr Lugo, you have my apologies for the way I spoke to you earlier. This is not something I say often. No one should get stuck in the past or old ways of doing things. We have to adjust with the time and you have taught me that today."
This was the icebreaker. Matilda Jones and I became good friends and not just colleagues.
Describe what you see
I see two people, a man and a woman, formally dressed to indicate they are either professionals or work in the corporate world. The woman's hand is clenched and judging by the way they move, they are not friends. Most likely colleagues.
Describe what you feel
I feel there is a strong emotional distance between the man and woman and it may pertain to work.
This is my entry to the A Picture is Worth A Thousand Words - 8/27/2022. To participate, click on the link.
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