Offer To The CEO

Wednesday, continued…

Anna responded, quickly "What gentleman. I am only here for a little while to do a few things, so make it quick."

"Madam Hou, tried to make our protests about the re-organisation of this floor like this. The Hou Legal Enterprises internal Legal Department has never been like this and it will not work. You have to convince your husband to change it back, and give people back their offices like they had."

"Not a chance gentleman. I made some recommendations to my husband, who has apparently acted upon them, so trying to convince me to tell him I was wrong has no chance. You need to adapt to a new environment. Private legal firms, government legal offices and corporate legal offices that I have been in over the years all work on an open plan system."

"The closed off nature here is not only about developing little personality cults and little empires, which does the company no good. Results are better when people are able to collaborate, share information as they can work together to achieve the goal of what is best for the company. It will share knowledge, initially on this floor and then when upstairs is complete across both floors, developing better lawyers."

"Madam Hou, you do not have any power, other than being CEO Hou's wife. It has to change for the good of the company. You need to go as you should not be working here."

"Did you not realise I am a board member of the company. I am doing what I am qualified for, and will continued to do so, subject to what is happening in my husband and my personal life. This now will be the one and only warning that you get from me. You need to change your attitude and give this a chance, as in the end everyone will win."

"Give it a chance, and if you feel three months later that it is not working and producing better results, we can speak about it and come up with a process that will deal with the concerns better."

"Go, leave," Amanda said butting into the conversation.

"Miss Mei, you have no business in this conversation."

"That is it gentlemen, get out of here before I arrange for my bodyguards to throw you out. There will be no little empire building here if I have anything to do with it. And by the way, apologise to Madam Yao immediately, you interrupted a private conversation we were having."

One brave member of the group, spoke us "You cannot force us to apologise."

"No I cannot." Turning to Amanda she asked "Do you know who this is?" and Amanda nodded, so Anna turned back "But I can request Human Resources review your position, and take it up with people more senior in the company, other than my husband, so think about it."

Very quickly the group, said "Apologise Madam Hou, Madam Yao," and scurried away.

Amanda pulled out a chair, and Anna sat down, before Amanda said "Damn it Anna, you have some guts saying that to the three senior deputy department heads. And do you realise that they will only be doing it at the behest of the Department head, who works on the next floor, who I heard is so annoyed that he has been demanding a meeting with your husband all week to protest the rearrangement of this floor and his floor."

"What will he do, I actually am not employed by Hou Enterprises, I am still employed by my firm in Australia, and convenience means that I am based here to do work for them for Hou Enterprises. And Yi, knows the commercial value to the company given current developments and business in Australia for me working here, as do the rest of the board."

"You certainly know how to play things."

"Well you know, it is no more Madam nice, I will go in hard and deal with stuff as needed. I will not be intimidated, and most importantly I have Yi's support."

"I would not do it."

"Well you know your husband would happily have you working in his company rather than here. The only reason that you are not there is that he will be working on your father. Now, I know you were finding out what I needed to do to become qualified to practice here as a lawyer, what have you found out?"