“I was a bastard when you first knew me, and I’m still a bastard now! So get used to it!”
Following the disastrous flight test of the first IFE system, we were tasked with finding a replacement for the long-haul fleet. We would do this in partnership with Qantas Airlines, who were also searching for a new IFE system.
We had six IFE companies that we had to investigate, so we divided our team into two groups that each took three companies to look at. All are reviewing the companies with the same criteria. At the end of the review period, we hired a consultancy company to put together a database to assist us in choosing the right IFE company. We would score against six major criteria; this information was then fed into the data analysis. When asked for the results, none of the companies came close to our desired requirements. The company with the highest score was Rockwell Collins. This was not the preferred choice of Qantas, however, which put us all in a bit of a bind, as BA was happy with the results. Because of this, we decided to retire for the day and discuss it back at the hotel in a more casual setting.
Once back at the hotel, refreshed and relaxed. I decided to lighten the mood and tell my Qantas colleagues a funny but crass joke about bears (get in touch via our contact page for more information). Just as I finish my joke, to a round of raucous laughter. A pianist arrived and sat down on the grand piano in the hotel lobby. He proceeded to play a series of notes, none of which were tuneful. The noise was too much for me, so I politely excused myself and went to sit outside to enjoy the California sunset and cool breeze.
As I left, the BA senior manager, whom we shall only refer to as Eva, arrived in the lobby. Most plant life wilted and died upon her arrival, and the smell of brimstone was unmistakable. The team was still laughing at my joke when she slithered up to them. Unaccustomed to smiling and happiness, she demanded to know what was so funny.
“David just told us a great joke!” chuckled one of the Qantas team as he wiped his eyes.
‘Tell it to me!’ she insisted.
“It’s best that you hear it from David”, he said, smiling at her.
‘I will! And if he doesn’t tell it to me, I’ll sack him!’ she spat.
“I can see David quaking in his boots.” He grinned before sipping his beer.
Eva stormed outside and hunted me down. I shivered as her shadow fell upon me.
‘David! I hear you’re telling jokes to our Qantas colleagues. You will tell me that joke now!’
I turned as if seeing her for the first time and shook my head whilst chuckling at her.
“Indeed, I will not,” I replied.
She leaned in and attempted to be threatening ‘If you do not tell me this joke immediately. I will have you sacked!’
I studied her momentarily before replying, “Eva, I look forward to sitting in front of HR whilst you explain that you want me fired because I won’t tell you a rude joke. I can’t wait to be part of that.”
She stood up and stormed off, and the warmth returned.
This was the first of many disagreements we would have.
On completing all the tasks related to the IFE, we had to do in the States, we returned home. The next week, instead of working from one of the conference rooms in BA’s head office, Eva arranged for us to work off-site at the Holiday Inn, Heathrow. I assumed this was so she could behave in her normal, unprofessional manner without senior management witnessing.
We started on Monday, and I was asked to provide the technical information regarding the weight and power consumption on the IFE system that was to be installed on the 747. My team and I worked diligently over the next two days to put together this information, which we presented to her on the tuesday afternoon. After presenting the information to her she stated plainly ‘this is not what i requested!’
“This is exactly what you asked for.” I challenged.
‘This is not what I want!’ she came back.
“What is it you want, exactly?!”
‘I want the pricing and cost of all the components involved in the IFE!’
“You need to ask Roger for that information, as he is in charge of procurement.”
This circus continued for the next two days. Going round and round, achieving absolutely nothing.
As it got near the end of the week, Eva stated that we would all need to come in and work at the weekend to get it all finished.
Around 4 pm on Saturday, it became clear that we had not finished the work that we were to present to senior management.
‘Well, everyone will need to come in tomorrow as well, then!’ She stated coldly.
That news went down like a lead balloon, and I was quite happy to burst it completely.
“Eva, I have a reservation at 1 pm tomorrow for a Father’s Day lunch with my family. So I’ll need to leave at noon sharp.” I politley informed her and the team.
Her only response was a quiet smirk. Leadership at its finest.
Sunday morning, the team begrudgingly arrives at the hotel and before the meeting begins, I remind her that I am leaving at 12, so can we please get this done?
Again, a noncommittal smirk is all I receive from her.
The team and I knuckle down to get this all resolved, as there are several other fathers in the same position as me.
At around 11 am, Eva says we should take a half-hour break, to which Roger replies, ‘Eva, we have one hour to go before David, and the rest of us leave. So perhaps we should skip the break and work up until then?!’
Another nod, another smirk.
At 11:50, I state that I am about to leave, as is the rest of the team. I pack up my stuff, bid my team a happy Sunday and start heading towards the door.
‘You’re not a team player, are you, David?!’ Eva yelled across the room.
Ken, a solid team member who had the misfortune of sitting near Eva, leaned over and said to her, “The only person who isn’t a team player here is you!”
And with that, every single member of the team promptly stood up, packed up their things and left with me.
The next day, I go into my office as usual, and I get called in to Eva’s office. She is sitting in her office chair, wearing a pantsuit with one leg over the armrest. I am immediately uncomfortable and perplexed. She wastes no time and tries to blame me for not completing the work on the IFE over the weekend.
I immediately counter. “You wasted two days of my team’s time, asking for something that in the end you didn’t even want! You have no idea what you want or why you want it! I no longer wish to work with you, and I would like to see your general manager, please.”
Eva finally sits up in her chair, ‘You can’t do that!”
“Watch me,” I warned as I turned and left.
I, along with Ken and Roger, managed to get an appointment with Eva’s general manager, without her presence and went to see her.
The manager’s initial response to our discussion was that Eva came from finance, and that’s how they behave in that department.
I was shocked.
“So you’re telling me, as a GM of BA, that you condone this behaviour and find it acceptable?! Ken, Roger and I believe this behaviour is despicable and we no longer wish to be part of this IFE project, as long as she is in charge!”
Fortunately for us, Eva was replaced and, as a bonus, went on early maternity leave. Life changed for the better that day.
Until meeting this woman, I had enjoyed every single day of my working life, which is a rare and bold statement to make, I know, but it’s true! But those 6 months under her rule of inept, arrogant tyranny were the worst days of my career.
Her replacement not only knew what they were doing, but they also knew the right way to get it. The IFE system was eventually approved by the directors, and I was put in charge of managing the installation.
Nine months later, Ken, Roger and I were asked by the senior manager if we would meet with Eva again.
“No.” Was our unified answer. “I do not wish to waste another second of my life in that woman’s presence.”
Following that, the GM approached us all and asked the same question, trying to persuade us to have a meeting in the hopes of quashing this animosity. We all eventually agreed to have the meeting on the condition that an external facilitator runs it.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted with the usual cold arrogance. Absolutely nothing had changed. At the start of the meeting, the faciltator asked each one of us to give our accounts of the problems. When we had finished, the facilataotr said, ‘gentleman, i really appreciate your contributions to this meeting and I fully understand why we are here. I need no further information from you, and you no longer need to be in this woman’s company.’
We left without a shred of resistance.
About three months later, I attended a marketing forum. Everyone is sitting on bean bags, and there is a very casual, relaxed atmosphere in the room. Until… Eva storms in and takes the podium.
Out came the smirk before she launched into her unique brand of motivational speaking, ‘Some of you in this room might have worked with me in the past. And you will know that I now have a daughter. Some of you will be thinking that this may have softened me. But I was a bastard when you first knew me, and I’m still a bastard now! So get used to it!’
The relaxing atmosphere that was once in this room was killed there and then. As she continued her unhinged rant, I saw the Marketing Director get up from his bean bag and march towards Eva. She was told to get off the stage immediately, and I’m delighted to say that was the last time I ever saw her.
To this day, I have no idea how Eva got the job she did and how she lasted so long at it. She was an incompetent, arrogant bully, nothing more. And the lesson I learnt from this experience is to never, ever tolerate bullies, especially well-paid ones! And also, if you do find yourself in a similar situation, get yourself some allies and take it straight to the top, because as Eva discovered, there is always a bigger fish out there!
If you would like to know more or book our services, please get in touch via our contact page.
