Butterflies in Honey (Growing Pains #3)(56)

“I believe my team is responsible for the other four,” Sean stated matter-of-factly as he walked in and took a seat in one of the chairs against the wall near Tory’s desk.

“Three of them, yes. I expect you have talked to your team?” Tory asked severely.

“I’ve talked with each of them more than once since Krista has started. I have written two of them up. Two more infractions for each and it will be a fire-able offense.”

“And they haven’t curbed the comments?” Ron asked incredulously.

Sean met Ron’s disapproving stare. “I don’t think you realize how personal these guys take it that a woman got promoted. She is the first, and as such, she doesn’t belong. She is also attractive, so foul play is immediately suspected. They don’t make comments in my hearing. They think they’re being sneaky. The fact that it gets back to me anyway and I write them up creates more animosity. They think Krista is the one telling me, when in fact it is other women overhearing and they are just as insulted.

“Sixty-five percent of my Region’s work force is female. 65%! Only one woman is in upper management, and two are at supervisor level—Krista promoted a woman to fill her place. There is only one other, and she is a lesbian—you can imagine the comments she gets from her male peers. We hire women, but we only promote men.”

Sean sat, his body open to encompass the two other men, before he went on. “Now look at the clients you work with. How many women are presenting to you on a continual basis? How many women do you talk to regularly regarding normal business operations outside of our company? And how many women are you missing in your sales? If you think like a man, you will not entrap a woman. Women can bedazzle men—they’ve been doing it for centuries—but most men can’t seem to figure women out enough to sell to them. The exception is a g*y man, but I bet you don’t have many g*y men in your upper tiers, either, based on the comments I have heard regarding Marcus’s sexual orientation, which are also suit worthy.

“The fact is, you all chastise me for promoting a female, but are missing the worth of doing so. In this day and age, we are way behind; our company is outside the norm. We are passing up a lot of qualified applicants by discrediting them because of their sex or sexual orientation. It is as unacceptable as it is costly.”

Ron looked at Sean in contemplation. Ron wasn’t a stupid man by any stretch. And while he was slightly entrenched, when he saw opportunity, he moved quickly. He could put aside his prejudices if it meant a larger bottom line. He was a businessman, plain and simple.

“Passionate speech, Sean,” Tory said with his hands resting on the desk. He was staring at Ron, recognizing the same thing Sean did. “I will add that Krista, in particular, is an exceptional businesswoman. She has the same title as Blake, who is another young manager. However, Krista has 30% more responsibility under Sean’s jurisdiction—more than any other manager in the company. She has a quarter of the number of people reporting to her as Blake, and two less compared to James in Texas, who is also doing an outstanding job, but who is currently trying to hire one more to take up the slack. Krista is not trying to hire. With her own insight, and Sean’s fine-tuning, they have redesigned how departments report to her, and she to Sean, minimizing redundancy and stream-lining 75% of their processes. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what that does to my bottom line…”

Ron said nothing, but the wheels behind his eyes were turning.

“The reason I bring this up,” Tory said, leaning back, “Is because it has come to my attention, belatedly,” Tory turned his piercing gaze to Sean, “that Krista is entertaining the notion of leaving our company. Did you know about this, Sean?”

Sean nodded slowly. “I found out yesterday from Marcus. I talked to one of her friends who…doesn’t like me all that much for personal reasons. This friend doesn’t pull many punches.

“Krista isn’t actively looking, but from what I understand, she doesn’t like the environment of upper management and has been approached with nearly the same position offering more money. She wasn’t seriously considering it until she came to this conference.”

“Were you planning to bring this to me?” Tory asked in clipped tones. That was an indication that Tory was irate.

“I didn’t realize she was at a boiling point. I don’t have the rapport with her I once did.”

Tory sighed and leaned further into his chair. “I found out yesterday as well—from a competitor…”

“A competitor?” Sean asked. “From what I’ve heard, two clients have approached her.”

Ron sat down in the recliner, slightly removed from the conversation, but going nowhere. He liked to be abreast of all the going’s-on in the company, and now he had an interest in the young woman they were talking about. If she was looking to leave, he would try to figure out a way to capitalize on a transfer.

“Yes,” Tory went on, looking at his email. “A competitor. She is well-liked within our company, and it is widely known she is grossly mistreated. The word is out that she is willing to leave. If Krista so chose, it would result in a bidding war. I know of two companies that are creating a position for her.

“I was going to suggest she move to New York, being that she is not reconciling with Sean as he had hoped,” Tory looked at a calculating Ron. “But that was before I saw her interaction within the conference. It was also before I witnessed Blake’s maltreatment.”