I Returned To The Headquarters After 10 Years. A New Elite Coworker Mocked Me But When I Did…
Taking Charge
I glanced at the shouting James and quickly thought about my next move.
“James, the contract mentions that we need to provide samples before the deal, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s a big deal. That’s standard procedure.”
“Have you informed the factory about this?”
At my words, James hesitated. Most likely, the factory wasn’t informed about the sample provision.
“Come on, even without saying, we surely have some samples ready, don’t we?”
“We can’t be sure of how many surplus units we have without checking with the factory.”
I immediately make a call to the factory. The workers there, surprised by the urgent call from the NY headquarters, promptly connect me to the factory manager who fortunately was nearby. I quickly brief him on the current situation and check how many samples we can provide. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to meet the numbers our client had specified.
“I know it’s a stretch, but can we ramp up production to meet the deadline?”
“For you Sam, we’ll make it work. Don’t sweat it.”
The factory manager was willing to cooperate. I felt sorry, but it seemed like we would have to ask the workers for some overtime.
“Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
I sent my deepest gratitude to them.
“Sam, what on earth happened?”
Harry arrived, and James, pale-faced, pleaded with the director.
“Director, this guy… he messed with my contract!”
Everyone present knew that James was the one who initially brought the contract. He probably wasn’t aware of the nonsense he was spouting. However, it was clear he was trying to pin his mistake on me. This realization made me profoundly sad.
“Harry, there were discrepancies in the contract. Here’s the translated version.”
Upon reading the document I handed over, his face changed. If we went through with this deal, our company would suffer immense losses.
“We haven’t finalized the deal yet. I’ll contact the client.”
“Hey! What do you think you’re doing? It’s my contract. I’ll make the call!”
“James, keep quiet for a moment.”
Harry sternly interrupted James.
“Sam, can I trust you with this?”
“Of course you can.”
Harry’s words filled with trust made me nod in agreement. I immediately contacted the client. As I began conversing fluently in French, everyone in the office stared at me in surprise. However, I couldn’t be concerned with that now; time was of the essence.
“I’ve secured an appointment. I’ll head over to their office right away.”
“I’ll accompany you.”
We quickly tidied ourselves up and began preparations to head to the client’s office.
“If… if that’s the case… I’ll… I’ll go too.”
James tried to persist, but Harry gave him a cold stare.
“Do you even comprehend the gravity of what you’ve done?”
“I… I…”
James was at a loss for words, and I said nothing. Now was not the time for that. Leaving a visibly exhausted James behind, we left the office.
Saving the Deal
As a result, we successfully negotiated with the client and managed to make a deal that satisfied both parties. At first, they seemed to look down on us, but when I began speaking in their language, they quickly changed their attitude and engaged in a balanced conversation. It seems they never intended to act so unscrupulously from the beginning. They realized there was an oversight in the contract and mentioned how relieved they were that a competent representative came to rectify it.
Apparently, James’s French was hard to understand, and to make matters worse, rather self-absorbed. While we do conduct our transactions in English, it’s not their native language. That’s precisely why one must be cautious with pronunciation and word choice. James’s way of speaking lacked sincerity. This, combined with other issues, frustrated them, and they thought of slightly intimidating us. They didn’t expect us to take such a contract seriously and actually consider it. At the same time, they had intended to sever ties with any company willing to finalize such an agreement carelessly.
“Our newbie James was rude, but you guys were also out of line.”
Upon hearing this, the executives from the client side gave a wry smile and apologized for testing us. Moving forward, I believe we can engage in mutually beneficial transactions. After that, we shook hands, had a friendly chat, and then returned to the New York headquarters.
The Confrontation
I returned to the New York headquarters and entered the office, which was still buzzing with unease. Soon, fled co-workers rushed over to me.
“The contract has been amended to the appropriate amount, and we will provide the sample products as promised.”
I informed them. Upon sharing that the director and I had renegotiated the deal ensuring a positive business relationship in the future, the co-workers collectively sighed in relief and celebrated the good news. Amidst the jubilation, a young man stood alone, glaring at me. It was James.
“What the hell man? You stole my thunder!”
Cold stares surrounded the yelling James.
“James, do you realize how much trouble you’ve caused everyone this time?”
As I questioned him calmly, it seemed to strike a nerve, and he started ranting like a tantruming child.
“Why should I care? If everyone had listened to me, everything would have gone smoothly! I did nothing wrong! Everything would have been fine without your meddling! I’m not at fault! Definitely not at fault!”
With each of his outbursts, the atmosphere grew colder, and it seems my patience had reached its limit.
“Enough is enough!”
My voice echoed throughout the office.
“You should be ashamed, being an adult and not being able to accept your own mistakes.”
Quietly yet with stern authority, I addressed him. James stood there lost for words. The co-workers just stared at me with shock while Harry gave a wry smile.
“This could have been avoided if you hadn’t acted on your own.”
“There’s nobody else here competent enough except me!”
No one paid heed to James’s lone outburst.
“Why is it always me who’s in the wrong and you, old man, is always right?”
“My name is Sam, so do not call me old man,” I replied firmly.
“You’ve never once called me by my name, have you?”
“Why would I? Someone like you doesn’t deserve that kind of respect.”
Seeing James refuse to accept his mistakes to the very end made me sad.
“James,” Harry interrupted. “Sam here has been instrumental in setting up our overseas branches and has been a pillar of support for 10 years.”
“But he’s just a guy without a college degree!”
“It’s true I didn’t graduate from college, but ever since then, I’ve dedicated my life to this company.”
At the words of both Harry and me, everyone in the office, including James, was speechless.
“He’s in a completely different league than you, both in skills and experience. I hoped you would learn from Sam. I was mistaken.”
The words from Harry, clearly expressing his disappointment, left James utterly deflated.
A New Start
After that, I no longer saw James around the office. He wasn’t fired; the company tried to let him go, but I intervened. Though arrogant and self-centered, he is still young. He should have the chance to start over. Now he’s working at a factory as a regular worker on the floor.
I wanted him to get to know the ground level, to understand the products and the people making them, and then figure out what he should be doing. Some said I was being lenient, but I disagree. For someone as proud as him, working on the factory floor would be a humbling experience. I thought this would be the best lesson for him.
He might not be able to do even half of what the workers he looked down upon can do. Through this, I hope he learns it’s because of these supportive workers that we can do our jobs. Being nurtured by this company, I don’t want to abandon him. I hope he bounces back from this setback, and someday we can work side by side. That’s my wish.
Success and Growth
Months have passed since then, and work has been running smoothly. As for me, I’ve been promoted to Sales Department Director. Harry is now an Executive Vice President. My relationships with the co-workers are strong, and we have a solid partnership with the clients—even the ones we had the contract issues with.
Looking back, this company saved my life, and now I’m back at the New York headquarters supporting the company as one of its pillars. I’m liaising with our overseas branches, and we’re making progress with new product development. The fruits of my labor over the years are finally paying off. I couldn’t be happier.
I will continue to grow alongside this company. I watered the small cactus on my desk before heading to a meeting. By the time I returned, the cactus had blossomed with a tiny flower.
