by Tony Ortiz
Don't be sorry, you were right. I just finished speaking to Miguel and Jake about the whole thing.
Wait, they knew?
Yea. I assumed you told them.
Really? Why the hell would I do that? I wouldn't dime you out. I'd tell you to your face that I was going to tell them if need be.
Yea well, I got put on probation so I won't be anyone's problem for a while.
Damn, they gave you the full two weeks huh? Well, they did warn you. Can't really blame them for that.
Yea I know. It was four though.
Four what?
They gave me four weeks, not two.
What?! Why would they do that? You didn't cause any negative ripples. At least not that I could detect.
I don't know, but it is what it is, I responded.
No, it isn't. I'm going to speak to them about this. See if I can get it reduced. That sounds like way too long.
Just leave it. Let it be, I told her.
But my request seemed to fall on deaf ears as she walked away with a purpose.
Hey Jake, got a sec?
Hey Laura, sure. What's up?
What's the deal with this suspension? Four weeks for solo skips? What's that about?
I thought it was excessive too, but it's his call. You know how that goes.
But based on what? The fact that Hector showed him up and overturned some impenetrable’s?
Rules are rules Laura, you know that better than anyone.
Yea but c’mon. Four weeks, when it should be one or two at the most and during a time when we have potential missions building up it’s just counter productive.
Like I said, I thought it was excessive too. But it wasn't my call to make, and it isn't yours either.
Where is he? Is he still here? Laura asked.
I don't know, check his station.
Laura walked over fervently and knocked on Miguel’s desk to get his attention.
Hi Laura. Give me a minute.
Can we talk? She blurted out.
Yea, but hold on a minute. He could see her frustration before asking her to have a seat. She wore her heart on her sleeve.
Have a seat.
Why did you suspend Hector for four weeks?
Did he ask you to come over here to try and reduce it for him?
No, quite the opposite actually. He seems fine with it. Un-phased. But I know better. I know it's bullshit. When Charlie first came on, he did a couple solos, and wound up getting a week.
Un-phased huh? You know what that tells me? He either doesn't give a shit about what we’re doing here, or he’s going to continue solo skipping anyway. You know how impactful a loose cannon like that can be. In Charlie's case, it was a different less volatile time. It also wasn't as egregious as Hector’s skips have been.
I agree with you that he shouldn't be skipping back alone. But he's not a loose cannon. He fixed things. He's getting things done that we as a team wanted to do but didn't. He messed nothing up. No negative ripples. That has to count for something no?
Yea, it counts for hubris. Which leads to ambition exceeding talent. The bottom line is that the integrity of and the fundamental structure of this team can't and won't be compromised. I won't allow that. Ever. To be honest, I'm surprised how much you're advocating for him after how he targeted you.
Targeted me? What do you mean.
Every solo skip that we know of him making, was within the education sector. Your sector. Quite frankly, probably a sector that based on his assessment scores would have been his had I found him before you.
What are you saying? You think he'd do a better job than me?
Not at all, but I bet he thinks he would. Fact is that he came up with a successful plan and angle, that you initially didn't see. Here's my point to all this; I know you and Hector have grown close since he's been here. I don’t get involved in stuff like that. As long as it's not negatively impacting the team, I really don't give a shit either. But be careful. Make sure that he’s getting close to you for the right reasons. Protect yourself. I have to go, but if you still need to talk, we can catch up later.
“Okay”... Laura responded while sitting there pensive. It seemed like she was taking in the severity and inherent betrayal of what Miguel just proposed.
From that point forth, the day went on like any other. I knew from the jump that it wasn't in me to just lounge around for those four weeks. Laura was acting as distant as everyone else and I couldn’t objectively tell if I was just into my feelings a bit too much and perceived them treating me as if I had some sort of virus that they wanted to minimize exposure to, or if they were just busy carrying on with their work. Either way, that made me want to leave even more.
During the next few hours there were meetings I wasn’t invited to. Other work related things that I overheard in passing seemed to be purposely dry and to the point and the next day was more of the same. They didn’t un-invite me to the nightly dinners, but didn’t seem to care when I just did my own thing and ate in my room either. I perceived a general awkward feeling of; ‘it’s weird with you here.’ So I made a conscious decision at that point, to be okay with giving them what they wanted. I packed a duffle bag with some clothes, toiletries and zero intention of returning. In retrospect I knew that I was upset at myself about the decisions I’d made that lead me to feel as if I had to leave the only place that felt like Home, since leaving Home. The next morning I walked out without saying bye to anyone.
Later that day, Charlie approached Miguel about one of the new team members.
Hey boss man, you have a sec.
Yea, what’s going on? Miguel responded as he still went on doing what he was doing.
Listen, I don’t mean to overstep but did you check these new guys out thoroughly?
Of course we did. Why?
I don’t know, but mine is fucking up a lot. I mean, a lot-a lot.
So make him better. That’s what you’re here for right? What all of us are here for. We make each other better.
Yea I'm all for that, and I'm trying here. We all are. But one of them has only gone back about five or six times and thinks he's gods gift to skipping. The other two are still afraid of it, and one of those actually asked me if there's a way to stop it from happening. I mean c’mon, what is that about?
You know how it works. I select people based on potential. Not that I should have to explain anything to anyone, but we all start off on different levels.
I get that Miguel and I'm all for working with people but you have to give us something to work with.
I have to - nothing. You know how many of the team members told me not to bring you on because they thought you were an uninspired pot head? No? - I didn't think so. And look, you turned out fine. Either way, it is what it is. Deal with it or someone else would be glad to.
It’s like that, huh?
I'm just tired of talking about the same thing over and over again, Charlie. Also, we’ve all been over this. They're just with you guys long enough to learn the ropes. Once they do they’ll be out of your hair. So your incentives are actually pretty aligned. If you think about it, it's in your best interest to get your guy to a place where he can be self sufficient.
Charlie nodded his head and walked away, back to his station and his assigned trainee. He went through the day as he normally would and later bumped into Jake in the break room.
Charlie, what's up bro? How goes it?
Same old man. Long day.
Everything cool? Jake asked sensing the dejection in his voice.
Yea. Actually, nah. Yo, your boy’s tripping.
Who? Miguel?
Yea man.
I asked him about these new people he brought in and he pretty much flipped on me. Saying deal with it and if I don't like it I could leave.
Damn, really? That doesn't seem like him.
I know. This latest batch of recruits doesn't seem like him either.
It’s a weak bunch right? Said Jake.
Hell
yea. Weak’s an understatement.
I noticed that too and told him the same based on their assessment scores.
Hey, what's going on guys? Laura said as she and Brooke walked in to get some water.
Laura, Charlie said. What's up with your new guy? He any good?
She looked back over her shoulder to see if anyone was around and whispered:
Worst person I've ever worked with, hands down.
See, I was just telling Jake about it. I tried mentioning it to Miguel and he got tight. How about you Brooke? Notice anything off with them?
No, not really. I mean, I'm not really one to talk you know. Your guy is rude though, she said addressing Laura.
You have just as much say as any of us Brooke, Laura said. Maybe you can speak some sense into him then Jake. Because him bringing this D-list team in and suspending Hector for as long as he did is setting the team back more than he realizes.
Hector's suspended? Charlie asked.
Yea man, where have you been? Laura responded.
No wonder he was acting that way. Saying he doesn't give a shit anymore, and all that.
You know how long he got? Jake asked.
Nah, how long? A week? Few days?
Four fucking weeks, Laura said.
Yea right. Charlie responded in disbelief.
She’s not joking, it’s true, Jake said.
Yea, I heard the same thing. Brooke added.
That’s insane. For solo skips? Did he go back and bang Miguel’s Mom or something?
It’s definitely O.D. I don’t know what’s up with him lately but what are we going to do? Jake said. In a few weeks, Hector will be back, the newbies will probably phase themselves out and we’ll be right back to where we were.
What if they don’t phase themselves out? Laura asked. And why do we have to lose four weeks?
C’mon, if they’re as bad as you guys are saying, then it’s only a matter of time before he realizes that we’re spending more time babysitting them, then actually making progress. They won’t be able to make the cut. And if by some miracle they do make the cut, then they belong just like the rest of us.
Yea but how hard will it be to make that cut now that the barrier for entry has been dropped so low? Said Laura. Imagine the next recruits after these.
They all got quiet for a minute.
What if Hector doesn’t come back? Charlie asked.
What? Why wouldn’t he? Laura asked.
I mean, I don’t know but he sounded really disillusioned with everything like I said. And think about it, would you come back? Having that level of skill and being blackballed the way he’s been? He could go out there and join any other skipping team he wants. Shit, he could start his own.
He has been telling me about things that don't add up, said Laura.
Like what? Jake asked.
Nothing that I took too seriously. Honestly I kind of blew him off. Things like the majority of our recommendations being denied, and the mission selection process not being as democratic as we thought. Stuff like that.
That true? Charlie asked Jake.
Jake paused and was pensive for a minute. I don't know. I mean, it could be. Miguel does have final say on missions.
Yea but we vote on which ones we do, Charlie said.
But we don‘t vote on which ones are eligible to be voted on, Jake responded.
When was the last time one of your proposals got approved Charlie? Asked Laura.
It was the Mine one.
And before that?
I can't remember. It's been a while.
I submit a couple proposals per month. The last 4-5 got denied. And 3 of those are the ones Hector went back and completed on his solo skip parade.
Relax guys, Jake said. Let’s not lose our heads here. It’s just some choppy waters that we have to navigate, that’s all. I’ll look into all of this and try speaking to Miguel once he’s cooled down a bit, to see if I could speak some sense into him ... or at least see where his head’s at. In the meantime, let's get back to business as usual, and this conversation shouldn't leave this room.
Ok, they all nodded and said in agreement.
Also, see if one of you can get in touch with Hector. Make sure he knows he has support here, Jake said.
Jake looked into the details of previous mission proposals, versus those that were actually chosen to be completed. A lot of what he found corroborated the story that Hector told Laura. He approached Miguel about this shortly thereafter.
Miguel we need to talk.
Hey Jake, can it wait until later? I have some new recruit files that I’m going through for consideration and I’m behind schedule on these.
No, I don’t think it could wait anymore. And actually, that’s kind of what it’s about.
Alright, what’s up? What’s so important that it couldn’t wait?
Follow me along this scenario. The group disseminates information to you in the form of mission proposals and you also get a separate, direct feed of everything that they saw, or even maybe missed, from their sectors and all others as well, right?.
Yea, that's right and you know all this already.
From that pool of all things, you pick and choose what you want to look deeper into. Then you take that subset of the chosen few and run them through my simulator. If successful then the team presents and votes on implementation. Is that right?
Yea that about sums it all up. What’s your point?
Do you wind up implementing more of what the team sends to you, or the stuff you find on your own?
What I'm able to actually review thoroughly is a random selection of sorts. Thereafter it's all merit based. So I don't know for sure but If I had to guess, I'd say probably about 60-40, in favor of what the team sends me. Maybe even 70-30.
Would it surprise you to know that it's more like 95-5 in favor of the stuff you find on your own?
That doesn't sound right, Miguel said. But I guess in theory it could be.
It doesn't sound right to me either. But it's more than theory. Look it up if you want. It's in the raw data of the submitted files.
I don't keep track of it all in that way. I just focus on our collective progress. Which is what you should be focused on also.
That's fine Miguel. This is your team. Run it however you want. What I don't get is, why be disingenuous about the process? Why make us feel like we all have a say when we really don't? Why harp on it being a democratic thing? It’s more like a filtered dictatorship. Predetermination disguised as choices.
That’s a bit extreme Jake. It is a democratic thing. The team has full autonomy over what they submit to me and when. You’re getting caught up in the minutia of things. When you start to think big enough you’ll realize that sometimes people need certain pillars in place, certain truisms to help guide them in the correct direction. Look at the United States. Arguably the greatest democracy we’ve ever known. We have a President. The head of it all. There are checks and balances in place sure, but he or she calls the shots in terms of influencing and steering the U.S. agendas. Do you take issue with that as well?
