Fifteen years after the fact ... I can safely say that I learned about business in one day ... with one lesson ... from one person. It was harsh, but effective.
Fall of 1993. I had been offered the position of Personnel Manager of a new bank. Prior Experience: NONE The bank president, Roger and bank comptroller, Diane said "We would not have made the offer if we did not think you were capable of doing it." OK OK ... I accepted.
Those first few months found me frequently at the office until 9PM teaching myself the ropes. Writing an employee manual; preparing a benefits package; setting up payroll; employee files; ... I was starting from square one.
The day came when I was to present 3 proposed benefits packages to the President; VP; Internal Auditor; Comptroller and a host of "important" individuals.
I walked into the conference room - all present and seated - and started to pass out copies of my 10 page report - complete with graphs and charts - that I had worked on for weeks. After handing out less than 5 reports I heard the sound of paper slapping the huge conference table and Diane exclaiming "These figures are all wrong !!" This outburst was immediately followed by another slap of papers and Roger's voice "Go fix it ... we will wait."
Mortified, I left the room - scrambled down the stairs to my office - while mumbling "George Carlin's - Seven Words You Can Never Say On Tv" "Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, CockSucker, MotherFucker, and Tits" As I raced into my office - passing our elderly receptionist, Mary, she said "I sense something is wrong..." Rather than try to reply, I instead continued to quietly spew four letter expletives...
At my computer - I could barely see the screen, but instead saw in front of me the group of executives impatiently waiting in the room directly one floor above me. I reveiwed and changed and checked and double-checked my reports... all of which were now just a blur.
After about 5 minutes of mania, I stopped - took a breath - looked at my original report and realized there was nothing wrong with it ... nothing at all. I walked back upstairs - still shaken - entered the conference room - aware all eyes were on me. With a false calm, I said "All the numbers in this report are accurate." The meeting proceeded as if nothing had ever happened.
Later that day - I went into Diane's sprawling office where she sat behind her desk cooly watching me approach. I asked "Can you please tell me what that was all about ? You blurted that the figures were wrong before you had time to look at them."
Diane leaned forward and said "Do not let ANYONE cause you to doubt yourself. If you work hard, and have done your best, have confidence in your work and stand by it."
There was nothing apologetic in her voice or demeanor as she said "Is there anything else?"
I will forever be indebted to Diane who had confidence in my abilities even when I did not. Over the years, she took the time to teach me the brutality of the business world, of life ..
Diane, a woman many years my junior, a widow with two children.
This and all the other lessons I have never forgotten ... and they have served me well... in business and life. Thanks Diane .. wherever you are.
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