Page 22 of Grump and Grumpier

I go to Derek’s office first, and can hear he’s in a conversation before I see that he’s on the phone. He acknowledges me with a nod as I stand out in the hallway.

Jansen’s office is right next to Derek’s, and the door is also open. I find him inside, head bent overpapers on his desk, and I have to knock to get his attention.

His face is stormy when he finally looks up, and I fight the urge to back away when he grumbles out a “Yes?”

“Good morning,” I say brightly. “Any chance you’d have time for a quick meeting this morning? Derek told me to come by first thing so the three of us could talk.”

Something close to a growl comes from Jansen’s throat. He looks back down at his papers, then pushes them aside into an untidy stack.

“Everything okay?” I ask, because he seems even surlier than he was the day I met him.

“Not really.” His gravelly voice does something to me deep inside, but I ignore that.

“Anything I can help with?”

“No.” A short but not very sweet answer, said in a way that warns me not to ask any followup questions about the source of his misery. I wonder if he’s had his coffee yet, because it’s my understanding that it helps some people face the day with a little more grace.

“Want me to come back later?”

I get another “No,” this time slightly less harsh, and how odd is it that I can read such nuance in my boss’s single-syllable responses?

Derek’s arrival saves me from having to try tomake small talk—or more likely, from standing in awkward silence while Jansen frowns at me.

The other funny thing is that I realize I’m not taking Jansen’s bad mood personally. I wish he was in better spirits, but I know it’s nothing I did, and it doesn’t bother me at all. This may also have something to do with the fact that I find his scowl sexy.

Speaking of sexy, now that both men are together, my skin is tingling, hoping in vain for their touch. It’s going to take a long, long time to forget what we did together and how they made me feel, and I know I’m lying to myself when I assume I mighteverforget it.

“What did you want to talk about, Ana?” Derek asks, pulling me back to the present.

“I’d like to review my plans for building up the staff.”

Jansen glances at a chair in front of his desk, and I take that as an invitation to sit.

Derek stands beside Jansen and leans against a strip of wall between the tall windows that face out to the front of the building. Both of them look at me expectantly, reminding me that their time is valuable.

I take another deep breath and launch into my planned discussion. “Filling open positions will be my first priority, of course, but we need to put an equal focus into retaining employees. Your staffing issues are never going to improve if people continue to quit at above-average rates.

“I don’t expect attracting applicants to be a problem, because as you know, the Community Bean product has an excellent reputation, and the company’s charitable initiatives are something a lot of people want to be a part of. The coffee is top quality, the sustainable sourcing practices are the best in the business, and above all that, the company makes a real difference in the world, improving the lives of the people in the community.”

All of this is very true, and of course, the men already know all of it, but I’m hoping that stroking their egos will help with the next part.

Why did I have to think about stroking? And filling … and positions? Why does all this standard corporate speak suddenly sound so deliciously filthy? Focus, Ana!

“We need those same driven people to want to stay here long term, so that your growth isn’t impeded by staffing issues, and so you don’t have to put so much repeated effort into hiring and training. People should enjoy working here, and they should be able to take pride in contributing to the company’s mission.”

Jansen’s mouth isn’t quite as scowly as it was when I came in, and Derek’s head nods in a nearly imperceptible movement, encouraging me to go on.

“I’m going to put together a list of ideas for boosting retention, and I’m hopeful you’ll both be on board with those efforts.” There’s no response to this,but I keep going. “I spent a good part of the day yesterday reviewing exit interview notes, and there was one dominant issue that kept reappearing.” Still no response, except for a slight narrowing of Jansen’s eyes. “Some changes to your management style may be necessary to support these goals.”

Derek’s brows lift. “Our management style?”

I uncross my ankles, then cross them again in the opposite direction as I lean forward. “People need to be provided with thorough training, and they need to be given grace. People need to be given a chance to succeed.”

“If someone’s doing shit work, they’re going to hear about it,” Jansen says.

Keeping my voice level and calm, I say, “Of course, and there’s a proper time and way to discuss their performance.”

“Some people don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt,” Derek says.

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