Glass Ceilings Read online

  He’s still treating me like a nobody, she thought furiously, and here I am, taking it, and feeling sorry for the arrogant bastard! Well, not any longer, mister. I’m CEO now and you’d better learn to accept it, otherwise we’ll be bumping heads before too long.

  Turning on her heel, she walked purposefully in the opposite direction. But underneath her anger, she still felt a twinge of empathy for him. She knew how bad that sort of disappointment felt.

  Welcome to my world, Royce. I’ve worn those ill-fitting shoes before and suffered for ages with the resulting blisters.

  * * *

  I had a 3am sit-up, diary. You know, one of those where you’re sound asleep and suddenly jerk awake with your brain on fire? And the scene still smoking in my mind was of that AWFUL night years ago, when I told David about the promotion Nimbus offered me. I guess the events of yesterday brought back the memories. It was the same scenario, with me excited as all hell at the prospect of a great new job, only back then I’d rushed home to share my news with a husband. Tonight I hurried home to a cat and you, diary.

  I wasn’t keeping a journal at the time, so if you think you can hack it, I’ll regurgitate the sordid details now, as a sort of exorcism....

  When Nimbus offered me the promotion, I accepted it straight away. It was a good career move and a significant financial boost for us. I was thrilled to think my increased earnings would help establish a secure future for the family David and I planned. So how rotten did it feel when I got home and burst out with my wonderful news, only to have him turn on me, shouting that I hadn’t bothered to consult him first? Talk about having the air punched out of my balloon! I couldn’t believe the brute standing there yelling at me was the same happy-go-lucky man I’d married.

  Once I got over the shock, I placated him by promising to pass on the promotion. I couldn’t understand why he felt so strongly about it, but thought he must have had his reasons. It occurred to me he might have been worried the new job would make me delay our family plans. Family plans, hah! How wrong can a girl be?

  Anyway, nothing was the same after that. He was like a different person, forever looking sideways at me as though suspicious of my every move. And all because I was offered a better paid job. Sheesh! And it didn’t get any better as time went on. He only became more withdrawn and moody. I didn’t know him anymore, and that scared me.

  And then that OTHER awful night happened. The one that brought things to a head and spelt the end for us. I had to work late and when I got home David was pacing the floor, breathing fire—well, flammable fumes—and shouting all sorts of accusations at me. Although I hardly said a word, not daring to contradict him in the mood he was in, he actually raised a hand at me.

  And in that moment, it was all over. I wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to make good on that threat.

  And when I look back on it now, diary, I can’t help thinking how ironic his accusations were, considering what he was up to behind my back. No wonder he didn’t trust me. Those not worthy of trust themselves....

  * * *

  Verity’s life changed abruptly as soon as she stepped out of the meeting with Clyde and Travis. No longer Verity Parker, Associate Mine Manager, RCL Bauxite Mine, she had become the new chief executive officer of multi-national mining venture, RCL Alumina.

  Word spread like an uncontrollable bushfire throughout the office building, scorching its way around the refinery, and leaving a trail of smoking ash as it ran full-tilt along the conveyor belt to the bauxite mine.

  Royce James was beaten to the CEO job by a WOMAN!

  Chapter Four

  Verity easily pushed Royce out of her mind as other, more urgent matters clamoured for her attention. And they all landed in her lap at once, or so it seemed. Realising how much she didn’t know about the job, she made a conscious effort to cling, limpet-like, to Clyde, watching and learning for as long as she could. She grew increasingly anxious as his departure date loomed. The changed attitudes of her executive colleagues, following her promotion, didn’t help either. But she’d been expecting that. She knew they, like Royce, would find it difficult coming to terms with her unexpected elevation to power.

  She was well aware of what they would be saying, or at least thinking; that her appointment was a break from tradition, and possibly an unwelcome one. RCL’s CEO had always been sourced from among the executive ranks of the joint venture’s international owners. With the major shareholder, Orix Corp, based in the US, all the previous CEOs had been Americans, and male.

  At least Royce would have met that last criterion, she acknowledged sourly, but now they have a CEO who’s both Australian and female. Talk about smashing the mould!

  RCL Alumina was no different from any other large organisation; it suffered under the burden of office politics. It was easy to predict that some in its ranks would be unwilling to accept having a ‘token female’ in the company’s top job, and as their boss. Verity soon became aware of grumblings among some department heads, all older men, who were loath to accept the new status quo.

  Clyde was also aware of the unease among the senior staff, but he and Travis decided it was something Verity had to sort out on her own. She needed to establish her authority, and Clyde had his own future to think about now—a rosy one including lots of golf, and time with the wife, kids and grandkids. He was content to take a seat in the ‘departure lounge’ and hand over the reins to his enthusiastic young replacement.

  Although Verity had enjoyed cordial relationships with most members of the executive team in the past, she found some of them uneasy in their dealings with her now. She wondered if she would need to take steps to address the issue so the organisation could move on from it. She was pleased and very relieved when Claire seemed to take it all in her stride.

  After work on the day Verity had been told about the job, they’d met for coffee at a favourite beachside café. On hearing her friend’s news, Claire’s girl-next-door face had lit with genuine pleasure.

  ‘Well, I never thought this would happen. Oh, not because I didn’t think you could do it. I totally knew you’d blitz the interview, and you’ll be brilliant in the job! It was just that Royce....’ She shrugged. ‘Well, you know the story. Oh, I’m so happy for you, you clever, clever thing!’ She beamed across the table at Verity.

  ‘Thanks.’

  ‘But,’ and Claire dropped her voice to a whisper, ‘you do know what the word around the office will be? That you fluttered those beautiful long lashes of yours at the male panellists,’ and she gave a wicked cackle, ‘and they couldn’t help but offer you the job!’ She giggled, ‘It’s good to know that old malingerer, The Duke of Envy, is still alive and well. I would’ve missed the mean-spirited old buggar!’

  Claire’s teasing banter earned her a mock punch on the arm from Verity, who grinned fondly at her friend. She saw only laughter and affection in Claire’s blue eyes, and thought once again how lucky she was to have had her help and support through the good and bad times.

  And now, Verity mused, when so many others are resentful of my achievement, you’re still the true friend you’ve always been. Treating me no differently, except for a hint of additional respect on the side.

  Her eyes grew serious and she looked intently at Claire. ‘I want you to know how thankful I am that no matter what happens, I have you as my friend.’

  ‘Oh, come on, no getting all mushy now ... boss!’

  Verity gave a lop-sided grin. ‘Just telling it like it is.’

  Claire blushed.

  Verity went on thoughtfully, ‘I wish you and I could work closer together. It would be so good to have someone I can trust nearby. There’s the executive assistant position, but Kerry would be hard to shift. She might consider a straight job swap, though—’ Verity caught sight of Claire’s appalled face and hastened to add, ‘But Kerry in a public relations role? I don’t think that would work. I’ll have to be satisfied in offering you, PR Officer Extraordinaire Claire Vincent, the additional role
of Loyal Confidant and Advisor to the CEO. Goodness knows I’m going to need you more than ever. My supporters are a little thin on the ground right now.’

  With a rueful grin, and before Claire could say anything, Verity reached over and gave her a quick hug. Drawing back, she added, ‘I know you’ll always be my friend Claire, and that’s even more important to me.’

  Claire’s eyes misted over, and she could only give a watery smile and a nod. Watching her, Verity wished everyone could be as generous. But she knew it would take more than wishes to conquer the barriers lying ahead of her.

  * * *

  ‘This just arrived for you.’ Kerry handed Verity a one page facsimile. Before turning to leave, she collected the items from the out-tray and ran her eyes over them as she left the office. Among them were documents she’d only just submitted for signature that same morning. Kerry found herself thinking begrudgingly that despite being new to the job, this CEO was shaping up to be more prompt and thorough than some of the previous incumbents.

  Verity scanned the fax before sitting back in her leather office chair, deep in thought. A short while later, a friendly knock disturbed her. When she looked up, she saw Claire standing in the doorway.

  ‘I wondered if … um … have you had morning tea yet?’

  Verity smiled warmly at her friend. ‘No, and I’d love a break right now. Let’s grab a coffee.’

  Claire smiled broadly and came in. She settled herself in one of the comfortable easy chairs around the meeting table. ‘No grabbing required. I took the liberty ...,’ and she opened the brown paper package she’d brought with her. Out of it, she extracted a small container of homemade Anzac biscuits and two sealed mugs of coffee.

  Verity hurried over to sit beside her, licking her lips. Claire’s homemade cookies were legendary.

  ‘The coffee’s freshly brewed I might add,’ Claire said proudly, as she pulled off the lids and passed a steaming mug to Verity.

  ‘Mmm, you sure know how to get on my good side.’

  ‘Always! Though things are a bit different now you’re CEO. Should I be having morning tea with you, or is that presumptuous of me? Your guard dog wasn’t at her desk when I got here, so I couldn’t check with her.’ She opened her eyes wide. ‘Am I crossing a line here?’

  ‘Oh come on, it’s still me. Just because I’m the boss doesn’t mean I’ve stopped being human. Sure, there’ll often be days when I’m busy or away from the office, but the rest of the time I’ll be looking forward to seeing you darkening my door.’ Verity grinned. ‘Even if you’re not bearing yummy gifts, chatting to you makes a nice change from the dull facts-n-figures discussions with the company bean counters!’

  They both chuckled, and Verity leant over her mug to inhale the rich coffee aroma.

  Claire took a generous sip from hers. ‘So, how’s life in the ivory tower?’

  Verity gave a low laugh. ‘Oh, you know....’

  Claire smiled at the non-committal response before saying, ‘Seriously Verity, how are things going? I’m in PR, we’re supposed to work together on corporate communications and reputation management. You can tell me stuff without it going any further. You know that, don’t you?’

  She was greeted with a tired sigh.

  ‘Of course I know that, Claire. But thanks for the reminder that you’re my trustworthy colleague as well as my trustworthy friend.’ Gratitude shone from Verity’s eyes. ‘Well, since Clyde left, it’s been OK I guess. There are a lot of decisions I’m confident to make, and other issues that, well, I need advice on. Normally that advice would come from members of the executive team, but....’

  ‘But some of them have decided not to play nice with their new CEO, am I right?’

  Verity nodded wearily.

  ‘Don’t worry, they’ll eventually come around. After all, they need you more than you need them. And when they remember that, they’ll come a-crawling like the bottom feeders they are.’

  Claire’s down-to-earth counsel won her an amused grin from Verity.

  ‘I know, but it does make things harder than they should be, especially while I’m still coming to terms with my new responsibilities. Speaking of which, this landed on my desk this morning ...,’ and Verity got up to grab the fax she’d been studying when Claire arrived, ‘and I’d like to run it past you. It might have PR implications.’

  ‘Sure, what is it?’

  ‘A fax from a real estate colleague of mine, letting me know there’s been an expression of interest in purchasing a parcel of land containing three properties, all bordering RCL’s overland conveyor. The only neighbouring properties the company doesn’t already own.’

  ‘OK,’ Claire took a slurp from her mug, ‘so what does that mean?’

  ‘Basically, it’s a land grab. I know the purchaser. He has a reputation among the mining community, and I’ve witnessed his modus operandi in previous dealings with the bauxite mine. He and his wife own another property, behind these ones, and he’s already tried complaining to the Environmental Protection Agency about the noise from our conveyor. Luckily for us, the EPA deemed their residence too far away to be affected. But if he succeeds in buying this new piece of land, it’ll spell trouble for RCL.’

  ‘How much trouble?’

  ‘Quite a bit. This is one of the closest privately-owned properties to the conveyor corridor. It’s used for grazing at present, but if new owners took up residence there, they’d be close enough for their noise complaints to be legit. And I’m certain that resolving those complaints would cost the company dearly. Our attempts to reduce the noise, all at significant expense, would be thwarted, or deemed insufficient. And then, following the company’s “failure” to correct the problem, he’d “generously” offer to accept compensation by way of a large pay-out. Of course this would’ve been his goal all along.’

  ‘Well, now we know his intentions, couldn’t the company pip him at the post by making the current owner a better offer?’

  ‘That would be prudent in the circumstances, but the joint venturers have indicated they don’t want to tie up more funds in non-productive purchases. Conversely, they want to pursue opportunities to clear the company’s less viable assets, including land holdings. Which will only expose RCL to more risk.’

  ‘Oh, great. So, what are you going to do?’

  Verity sat back for a moment, pondering the question. Her face grew determined. ‘I’m certain that if RCL owned all the neighbouring land, and the JVs were made aware of the practically limitless, ongoing expense of resolving noise complaints, they would regard that ownership as a position of strength worth maintaining. Buying the land would not only foil the plans of these current money-grubbers, it would provide long term benefits and protection against other claims. As long as RCL has an exposed underbelly, these types of problems will keep raising their ugly heads. So I’m going to ask my “contact” to suss out the current owner, about the possibility of RCL buying the property.’

  ‘And if he’s interested?’

  ‘We’ll drive a hard bargain of course, but I’m prepared to set the wheels in motion. I have a few bits of sugar I could use to sweeten the deal. All above board, of course.’

  Claire’s eyes widened and she breathed, ‘But what about the JVs? Won’t you need their approval to proceed with a purchase?’

  ‘Yes, eventually. But there’s a lot of water to cross before we get to that point.’ Verity smiled shrewdly, adding, ‘Which will give me time to prepare the necessary justification. I can be very persuasive when I want to be, you know.’

  Claire shook her head in awe and grinned. ‘Ballsy move ... way to go, CEO!’

  They chatted some more, but in what seemed like no time at all Claire realised she’d been there longer than her intended fifteen minute coffee break. She hurried off, and Verity returned to her desk. She checked her electronic calendar for the next item in her schedule. There were no other appointments until a one o’clock meeting with the commercial team. She took advantage of the ‘free�
� time to glance through the papers in her in-tray. A memo from HR, addressed to her personally, caught her eye. It outlined a standard offer of company-owned accommodation during her term as CEO.

  She went to flick it into the ‘File, No Action’ tray, but something stopped her. She knew it was simply company procedure to offer accommodation to the incumbent CEO, who was usually on secondment from the US. But as she read the memo, she noted the policy required the offer be made regardless of the current CEO’s circumstances. She raised a cynical eyebrow.

  Of course, John Reardon wouldn’t want to leave himself open to accusations of discrimination. And just as well, I suppose.

  She sat back in her chair for a moment, wondering whether to seriously consider the offer. She stared out of the window in the corner of her office, the only window on the whole top floor. Like the rest of the building, it was blast-proof, able to withstand the often caustic environment outdoors, and even an explosion. Verity found this both reassuring and discomforting at the same time. All the other offices in the building looked over or into an impressive internal atrium. This had been the architect’s idea. He’d felt a need to compensate staff for being shut away from the outside world like slabs of meat in a cooler.

  Nothing can replace looking outside and seeing living things just living, Verity mused, and knowing when it’s raining or the sun is shining. But it’s better than looking at a blank wall, I guess.

  She glanced at the memo again. Until that moment she hadn’t felt any real need to move from her own comfortable townhouse. But thinking about it, she had to admit it was more homely than executive in style. She knew that as CEO, she would be required to entertain occasionally, and suitable accommodation would no doubt prove to be an advantage.

  She took note of the apartment’s address. ‘Villa number seven, twenty-three Eagle View Drive, Lakescombe,’ she mumbled under her breath. She pictured the up-market beachside area of Lakescombe and wondered if the villa had ocean views. She’d always wanted to live somewhere overlooking water, and maybe this was her opportunity. She could hear her mother saying, ‘Well, what are you waiting for?’, and that did it. She decided to arrange an inspection late that afternoon. After all, she told herself as she dialled HR’s extension, I don’t have to take it, but it won’t hurt to look.