CHAPTER 2
2014, June 30

About 2 weeks after I quit I get a phone call from Brodan  asking me if there's anyway I can come come to Chicago for a day or so to meet with him and Chris.  However that's the morning I put Jasper down after the worst weekend in my life.

He tells me to take some time, but if I'd like to come down to see if I can get my mind off the pain for a bit he'd like to see me.  I agree because I'm so lost anyway and being at home just hurts so I tell him I'll be down after the 4th I'm going to the lake for a bit. He tells me that he got me a room at the Marriot here for the 8th and 9th. "Hey remember I don't have a job now I can stay at a lower end hotel." I try to joke but I figure a Marriot in IL is easily $140 a night.

"Don't worry about it I'm covering it. Just get here."

I stop and think a second and realize there's no way to take the train.  "Ok when are we meeting and where?"

"Well Chris and I will meet you at your hotel.  Please wear jeans because both of us want to."

"You got it."

The following Tuesday after the 4th I drive to Chicago. Once down there I check in and I'm given a message that the Illinois room is reserved and my party is already there.  "Where is that room?"

"Its on the 5th floor to the left of the elevator. They just got here about 10 minutes ago so you're fine."

"Thank you so much."

I go up and drop off my bags and freshen up a bit before heading to the 5th floor. Once there I spend the afternoon with Brodan  and Chris.  I'm able to finally tell them honestly what caused most of the attrition including mine. Money is huge, upper managements direction of more more more but not giving anything back and their direction not translating and matching what MM's are. Brodan  asks me  why I left and I tell him, Robin came in, didn't think I matched what she wanted in the role and I had just had enough of the bullshit. After dealing with Patty for 3 years 2 weeks of Robin was enough to make me say I'm done.  I never was able to get the team behind me because I was being undermined all the time. Joss directing Jen to log things wrong and then I correct it and he still gives her mis-direction.  Debbie complaining all the time about the training - but we all got trained by Kevin and succeeded. She lied profusely in her interview.  The constant scope crepe didn't help with the team moving from sales to mostly a catch all with customer service escalations reps, sales, and collections.

Chris is happy to hear the truth he thought for sure when we talked after Jessica left that it was starting to go in that direction but I didn't say as much.

"That's because I was trying desperately to put the good spin on things.  Jas actually quit 4 times, the last time I didn't try to save her she was becoming such a discipline problem I just didn't want her anymore."

"With what?" Brodan  asked.

"Attendance was her big one and the other was logging what she did, she wouldn't log calls or emails and didn't log sales - but then yelled at me that she didn't get bonus. If you don't prove you did something I can't pay you for it."

"Wow you hid a lot from us." Brodan  says a little disappointed.

"That was my job per EsT , to handle all the bullshit and give you results. I hated it but I knew my role, I'd been there long enough and companies hire a 3rd party because they want a clear production channel without the headaches right?"

"Well you definitely did your job, perfectly as far as I'm concerned, we never knew and if that was the goal then you did it well.  As for results even Bob and  Steve couldn't argue with the cost of 3 outside field reps you were able to employ 10 people and pull the same results as the field did. Problem is we don't believe in EsT with you gone."

"I don't believe in them either obviously." I smile.

"So what Bob and  Steve want is for there be an inside sales team but he wants it to be an internal group not hired out.  We've all talked and would like you to be involved in it as well."

"In what context?"

"Well, we want you to still work with me on the success of it but we need your mind and knowledge to help get it set up.  The team will be based in Boston when the company moves there."

"Would I need to move there or could I live in WI?"

"Until the team is up and ready you can live anywhere you want.  I'm not sure if they want you on site in Boston but I think they will."

"That's something I'd want to know before I make a decision, I own my house so I obviously like where I live."

"We'll find out."

"Would I have to go through the 50,000 interviews I hear MM is famous for?"

"No you're doing 2 of them now, Chris and I are interviewing you now can't you tell?"

"Brodan  you still crack me up. What about  Steve and who would I be reporting to?"

"This would be a Strategic Initiative so it would report to me when all is said and done." Chris says.

"So Chris what do you think of my idea before about having the Strategic Inside connection?  Working on conversions or is that handled by the Strategic team?"

"They for the most part do their own conversions I do like the idea though of one member of the team having a catch all role so if we need that extra body we'd have it." Chris says.

"Problem is we'd need to set a different standard for them and I hate comp plans."

"You and me both - but we'll work it out." Brodan  tells me.

That night Brodan  invites me over to his house and I meet his wife and we have a cook out.  Its a completely different world than I'm used to.  I ask him why Boston, couldn't the team work at a MM office in Chicago, isn't there enough of them.  There is, he tells me but  Steve and Bob want it completely internal so they probably aren't going to budge on Boston being where the team is.  At that point Brodan  see's how much I love his dog's instantly and he asks me what kind of dog I'm looking for.  I tell him it’s too fresh I just can't.  He tells me that he knows I need a dog in order to be happy. So I inform him that it can't be a Husky.  Jasper was the perfect Husky and another could never compete.  After talking for a while I let out that a Golden is probably where I'll head or an American Eskimo.  He smiles and says Eski's are great but barkers, I'm not a big one on barking, its just not for me so that's leading me towards Golden's.

Brodan  and I leave, I say goodbye to him and find out that he's going to push to  Steve and Bob that they come to WI with him next week to sign off on firing EsT .  He wants that company to know its because they screwed me over that they left.  "If they can make it they can do the final interview while there."

"Do I have to dress up and be fake or just be me like I was with you and Chris?"

"You'll probably have to dress up.  While they both know you they like formality."

"Alright then they better like getting interviewed right back, I'm not so sure about their turnover."

Monday rolls around and I'm a bit nervous on how things go with EsT , the team is told by Bob that they are no longer continuing.  He thanks them for the focus but the company is choosing to bring the positions internal at MM and will be out of the Boston office.  Anyone on the team is welcome to apply if they would like to work directly for the company.  Julie of course is pissed that he says it and they do have a few choice words.  When Brodan  and I meet for dinner at Fudruckers he tells me that they told MM they fired me for failing to fulfill my role.  Brodan  tells them both that he finds that hard to believe because I sent him my resignation letter, yes he knows I resigned because they were pushing me out and he's pissed that they did so because I was the reason they stayed as long as they did.   Steve echos that MM never paid for a manager under their contracts with EsT except for me. Bob echos that their lack of ability to recognize true talent when they had me is their big mistake.  He demanded all the information compiled and sent to me.

"What email address did he give them and why did he do that I don't work for you guys yet?"

"Serena, you've got the job trust me you're going to have to show up, look presentable like you always do, be confident in your skills and knowledge but Bob has your SSO and email set up.  Its the same one you had without the consultant behind your name.  You should have seen Robin and Julie when Bob told them that you work for us now. It was priceless I wish I could have snapped a pic for you."

I laugh and toast Brodan  and then ask him, "how much trouble will you get in for telling me all of this?"

"Lets just not talk about it in front of them shall we?" We both laugh and go home for the night.

The next day is the interview and as Brodan  told me I walk in confidently so I do.  They ask me a few questions and then they make a fatal mistake.   Steve asks me, "Why do you think you're the right person for this position?"

"Why don't you tell me Steve, you came to me I never applied."

Bob laughed, "Well you got us there.  We heard from EsT yesterday that you were let go for failing to fulfill your role.  Is that true?"

"No, I resigned and here's a copy of my resignation letter." I hand it to him.  "Was I forced to resign - pretty much. I was told I had 30 days to find a new position within the company because according to Robin who had known me for exactly 1 week I didn't have what it took to manage that team.  I begged to differ, I'm damn good at what I do, the results spoke for themselves. The team never missed a month during my tenure, I was given multiple awards but because some whiny people thought they'd be brave in their exit interview I got thrown under the bus. I won't work for an organization like that so I left."

"So what makes you want to work for MM?"

"I'm still looking into that.  I'm interviewing you as much as your interviewing me, remember that  Steve and Bob and I'm still not sure of the position."

"What questions do you have?" Bob asks.

"What assurance can you give that this position has a future.  As much as the turnover issue was a concern on the IST it was compounded and multiplied within your organization so I'm not very secure in there being a future."

That throws Bob and Steve into a tailspin.  They aren't used to being put on the defensive in an interview and it takes them a few minutes to satisfy me that there's going to be a future in some form for the IST for quite a while.

I tell them ok and I call the interview to a close with the question, "When do you see yourselves making a decision?"

"We already have we are prepared to offer you a position now. Strategic Inside Sales Team Initiative Manager, full benefits, life, health, dental, vision, disability etc. $175K a year with 2 weeks of vacation to start."

I glance over at Brodan  and he smirks like he knows this is where the negotiation starts. I want to flinch since this is the highest salary I've ever been offered but I have to be logical about this.

"You say this position is required to be in Boston, MA?" I ask Bob.

"Yes, as of April 2016 at the latest."

"4 weeks of vacation, and with the cost of living out there being almost 50% higher than where I live, and that I own a house here.  $300K"

"You won't have to pay for a car or any of those fees, 3wks/$275k." Bob negotiates with a smile liking that I'm not backing down. I look at him, knowing that if he's negotiating then he wants me in this role.

"4 weeks and $290K plus bonuses."

"You have a deal." Bob shakes my hand. "You're good in sales."

"I know my worth." I respond. "I work for Chris though right?"

"Yes and we will provide you with a company phone, car, computer."

"How about no car and you pay for my Monthly mass transit fees in chicago."

"I thought you lived here in WI?"

"I do but if I'm going to be working with Chris and Brodan  I figure it'll be easier if we can meet

in person sometimes, doesn't MM have offices in the city?"

"Yes downtown do you want me to secure you a office?"  Steve asked.

"Yes that'd be great, thanks."

Bob makes note of everything thats to happen and asks if I'll want the company car in Boston.

"I'm not sure yet it depends on where the office is so I can figure out if mass Transit will work."

CHAPTER 1
2014: June 1

*******disclaimer ********* 
this story is a work of fiction and any similarities to real life situations or people is done strictly for my enjoyment and not for profit or harm
************************************************************************************

"You have 30 days to find a new job within the company but you can't keep this one." Robin tells me in her office and breaks my heart.

"You're making a huge mistake, but obviously my expertise with this client means absolutely nothing." I get up and walk out of her office.  I grab my belongings from my desk and leave knowing I have the next 5 days off.

Once I go home I cry, drink, yell and of course pet Jasper to calm down.  I take the next day to figure out what I'm going to do and how I'm going to be able to stomach going in and dealing with any of those people, the group of back stabbing assholes.  After my trip to Michigan I return to the office and immediately start packing up my desk. I can't be in this environment.  I type up a resignation letter and send it to Julie and Robin giving my two weeks but that's it. I won't move to another program and I won't help them lie to Brodan  about this.  After I put a box of stuff in my car my team is all what's going on and I don't say anything I just tell them to focus on their customers.  

Julie calls me to her office and I go up and of course Robin is there.

"Serena please tell me this is a joke." Julie says.

"No why would it be.  You've effectively fired me anyway why is my resignation a shock?"

"We don't want you to resign from EsT we find you a very valuable associate." Julie tells me.

"No Julie you don't because if you did find value in me then you'd make her actually do her job and help me. But instead I'm being told the notes that are in my file from Patty speak more about who I am than 7 yrs with this company. Robin pulled this crap on me in our first 1:1, the first time she really sat down with me, that is not value or respect or any form of leadership I've ever known.  I do not want to work for an organization that treats their employees like this."

"What can we do to keep you?"

"You don't want to keep me Julie , not in the role I'm really good at.  You want a scapegoat for why the team has turnover. Its not going to happen because I know why we had turnover, I've admitted all along that I make them work, there's no way we'd be where we are in ROI if I had no rules for them, but the biggest reason we have turnover is I started with crap for employees, people that couldn't be bothered to come to work on time or at all and when they were here they would make 8 calls a day and that was allowed by the previous manager because he hated conflict.  I don't hate conflict but I couldn't always handle it effectively.  I've asked for help so many times that obviously went unheard and now I'm being blamed for what I don't know. A successful team that has a 32:1 ROI.  Yep I'm rotten alright.  I've only hired 3 people on that team the rest of them  I inherited. So maybe, here's a news flash they were the wrong hires from the beginning and it wasn't a job match.  Anyone think of that."

"Serena I get that you’re angry but I still don't want you to leave." Julie tells me.

"Julie how can I believe that, Robin told me that what she was doing you knew about and

supported.  So you tell me who's lying now? You or her?"

"I didn't know she was going to give you 30 days to find a new job.  I knew she was going to pin you for performance and tell you that you needed to work on stuff."

"Well there's just one more reason why I'm leaving because if that's true then you have a serious communication issue with your reports because I wasn't told I had a chance to work on anything."

"Robin is that true?" Julie  calls her out on things.

"Yes, I pinned her with a 30 day notice. I felt it was the best option for the team"

"What about the client relationship Robin did you stop to think about the fact that they never paid for management until Serena took over and they now pay and I quote, 'because Serena proved she's worth it'."

"I didn't know that."

"I wish you would have spoken to me before you did this." Julie  then turns to me, "What's our next steps?"

"Your next steps are to call Brodan  with me in the room so I know exactly what he's told because I don't trust anyone in this building to have my back and that's a professional relationship I'd like to salvage and I don't want my reputation to be mishandled."

"Ok Robin why don't you leave and Serena and I will call Brodan ."

"Don't you think I should be in on this since its also my client."

"Robin I think you've done enough I'll let you know what becomes of this." Julie  dismisses her.

Once Robin leaves Julie  asks me. "Do we have a shot of keeping you?"

"If you could put me in a role that only deals with working with MM, doing the reports they ask me too and analysis and strategy maybe but I won't work for Robin."

"I don't think I have a role like that."

"I know but I also know this company has created roles for people in the past so it shows once again that I'm not valued.  I'm willing to resign to not be in this toxic environment.  I'd much rather be laid off because then I could take the summer off and get paid for it."

"What if we did create the role, like Client Relationship Manager would that work?"

"You tell me Julie , I don't trust you anymore than her right now she told me she had your support so its hard for me to believe anything and to not feel like this is just to put me in a position to have to clean up the mess Robin created.  And then after she has a new manager in place and I train them on everything I know, you'll fire me again."

"No one is firing you now Serena, ignore that pin from Robin I'm going to make it disappear. Are you still wanting to resign?"

"Not right now if I can believe you.  But I want you to call Brodan  with me right here and explain to him what's going on and be truthful."

"Ok I've been pinging Sean and he knows what we're doing and is in support."

I look at her like I can't believe her so she turns her screen to me and shows me the IM which states from Julie and Sean both that I'm too valuable to lose.

"Ok lets call Brodan ."

When she calls him he answers quickly. "Hey Brodan  its Julie and Serena at EsT how are you?"

"I'm good, I was wondering why I couldn't reach Serena on ping.  Your team is freaking out they called me because they said you packed a box and left."

"Well I did pack a box and took it to my car but it was blankets and sweaters that I had here over the winter and I think I finally don't need them in the office." I told him looking at Julie with this look that says don't make me lie to him.

"Oh thank God because without you that team would fall apart." Brodan  again reiterates that its not me causing the issues.

"Brodan  that's why we're calling.  There's been some upset here with Serena and Robin her new BD, honestly the team had said a few things that Robin misinterpreted that meant they were going to leave if Serena stayed in her role so she asked Serena to look for a new job in the company."

"What? Without Serena we'd pull the contract." Brodan  tells Julie which makes me smile so huge knowing at least someone actually values me.

"Well there's no need for that we are keeping Serena if I have anything to say about it." Julie says and then Brodan  does something I don't expect.

"Serena what do you want?"

"I want to continue working with MM. I love the partnership we've created and I think there's a whole lot more we can do.  I just don't want to be in a toxic environment anymore."

"So what needs to happen for it to change?" He asks.

"Laura will need to be replaced and maybe Adam. He's getting better but he's still so moody and elitist that most of the team wont' talk to him." I tell Brodan  openly.

"Wow that means you'll have 5 openings to fill and the only people left on the team will be newish."

"Brodan  what we plan on doing if you're ok with this, we're going to change up the structure of the team a little.  We're going to make Serena the Client Operations Manager meaning she will still be your contact for day to day and everything she's been doing for you now the exception is she won't supervise the team. We're going to hire a supervisor to handle the day to day with the team, bonuses, discipline etc."  

"Who's going to coach them, whoever you put in the role is not going to have the knowledge or skills that Serena does for coaching.  She turned a lot of those really bad first group into valid sales people."

"Maybe we'll have Serena do some of that or she'll coach the new supervisor who will coach them."

"Julie is Robin the best person to have over this team?"

"I'm not sure about that Brodan . Serena will report directly to me however."

"How's that going to work if I give Serena direction and is she going to tell Robin what I want or the team or the supervisor?"

"Brodan  I'm not sure of the details yet, Serena had handed me her resignation this morning so after talking with her I'm scrambling to find a way to keep her and MM both so when I know more I'll call you ok."

"Ok Serena if you decide to resign please call me so we can talk about it. Julie I don't mean to overstep here but Serena has been the only consistent part of this program since it started, between senior leadership and the team. From my perspective she's doing the right things, yes I don't like turnover and from a leadership view on my side its a concern but not as much because results are always there."

"Brodan , I'll make you this offer, if we replace the people Serena wants to and I get all 5 hired, if your trainer comes to Appleton to train I'll foot the bill on this one so we can get moving forward again the right way."

"Thanks Julie , and I'll tell you I wasn't kidding, if you lose Serena MM will most likely cancel the contract, not out of spite but out of loyalty and business needs. We can't start over with such a key role."

"I understand Brodan  thanks for your time."

"Thanks and Serena call me when you get a moment."

"Will do Brodan .  Talk to you soon."

After that Julie starts spinning words that sound really good but I still believe its a bunch of bullshit so I give her a half assed buy in and walk out of her office.  I tell her though that I'm leaving for the day to think of things. She ok's that I leave and the minute I walk out I call Brodan  on my cell. I don't bother to tell the team anything I just grab my purse and leave.

"Hello."

"Hey Brodan, its Serena."

"Why are you calling me on your cell?"

"Because I walked out and I can't say any of this inside the company."

"Ok what's the real story."

"Brodan  I know I'm the angry employee here so I hope you take a bit of this with a grain of salt but here's the story." I take a deep breath and tell him the story of how Robin or the team screwed me and how I'm not willing to believe in the company again.  I was laid off once from EsT and with how she handled things and being unwilling to train me on things she sees as my weakness but yet couldn't identify what they were. I can't believe Julie that she's going to back me.  "What I think Brodan  is they are trying to pacify me in order to keep my knowledge while they find someone to replace me then they will do this again.  And I just can't stomach that."

"You aren't a bad manager, you aren't a bad person in fact we were going to end the partnership during Jeff's time frame and its only because Patty put you in charge that we gave it another shot.  I have an idea but I'm not sure I have backing on it yet but what if MM employed you directly as this liaison type of role where whomever they put in place has to give you all the reports and what not."

"I love working with MM Brodan  I truly do but I don't think EsT is the solution anymore.  They have no senior leadership that understands your business. Throughout the last 2 years all they've done is compare my team to the other two equipment programs we had, and would not comprehend that the businesses all operate differently. I am willing to work for MM though so keep my cell number, keep me on linkedin. I put in my notice so I'll be at EsT for 2 weeks anything you need from me email me on the laptop and I'll get it to you before I leave so you have facts rather than the story they will spin."

"Do you think they'll spin it?"

"Yep, Robin has been my boss for what a week and already decided I wasn't a right fit.  That was the catalyst to me walking away. I can't deal with that anymore.  I know I gave this team my all and I set them up to continue to succeed if they don't, well that means they aren't listening to what they know. They are being led or mislead so to speak."

"Thank you, I have your back Serena I won't believe the lies they use to spin stuff I know you, not them."

"Thanks Brodan  you truly are a wonderful colleague and friend."

"I feel the same way about you Serena.  I'll talk to you soon."

With that I walk away pretty effectively.  The two weeks goes by quickly because I don't tell the team until Robin makes me a week later.

They all try to get out of me what I'm doing, why I'm leaving, where I'm going and all I'll tell them is that I'm taking the summer off.

They don't believe that and I don't care.  I truly want to tell them all to bite me but I don't, you never know what the future holds so I just tell them that I've been in inside sales for 20 yrs and I think I'm done with it.