Chapter 380 Andrew is full of Pride
The room was buzzing with doubt, making the vibe in the conference room pretty tense.
The CFO stood up there, looking kinda awkward, and said, "Yeah, Mr. Zeller's got a point. I only looked at our internal revenue and profit without checking out our market share against the competition. We'll fix that going forward."
"I don't wanna see this self-congratulatory financial report again," Hank Zeller snapped.
"Got it," the CFO mumbled, feeling pretty embarrassed.
But the execs kept their mouths shut; no one wanted to go against the board.
"Step down," Theodore said, giving the CFO an out.
But he didn't argue with Hank.
Comparing yourself to yourself is just patting yourself on the back.
A company's survival is all about the market; that's the real deal.
"With the entire Board present, we gotta talk about the loss of Innovation Arc project today. This is a textbook case of us failing in the market. No matter how much our revenue's gone up year-over-year or quarter-over-quarter, we're still losing in the big picture!" Hank said, dead serious.
Cecilia noticed his stern look.
She knew this wasn't gonna just blow over.
"I think we can't just brush this project off. We need to learn from this, or we'll keep losing projects the same way," Hank said, all righteous.
Before Theodore could say anything, other board members jumped in, "Mr. Zeller's right. The Innovation Arc project is the biggest construction gig in Serenovia City in the last five years. We need to take a hard look at ourselves after losing such a big project."
Another board member added, "Reflection's one thing, but we need accountability too. Otherwise, who's gonna feel the pressure to secure projects in the future?"
The room was buzzing with chatter.
Cecilia stayed quiet. She didn't defend herself or step up to admit any mistakes.
Theodore, looking pretty serious, said, "The Innovation Arc project's failure isn't on one person; it's on the whole company and team. Cecilia reported this project to all of us, and if I remember right, we all approved it. So, the project's failure is on all of us, not just one person. If there's gonna be accountability, it should be for all of us."
"Mr. Theodore Lockhart, your words sound noble, but you're just covering for your daughter. Let's be real: was negotiating the Innovation Arc project Cecilia's job? And did her plan flop? Doesn't that question her competence? Sure, we approved the project, but as board members, we only check if it's feasible. The market competition stuff is on the person in charge. Otherwise, why do we have different roles and hire so many people? We might as well do everything ourselves and save the cash!" Hank said, dripping with sarcasm.
"So, what's your plan to hold me accountable, Mr. Zeller?" Cecilia raised an eyebrow, cool as a cucumber.
Theodore swallowed his words. He was worried Cecilia might stay silent and lose her edge. But once she spoke, he had full faith in her skills, so he let her roll with it.
"Look, it's not up to me to decide. I'm just laying out the facts. Cecilia, I'm looking out for the company and being objective. The Lockhart family are the biggest shareholders, so if the company does well, you benefit the most. For board members like us with fewer shares, the stakes aren't as high. I'm just doing my job here!" Hank said.
"Got it," Cecilia replied, calm as ever. "But I don't accept the blame. I did my best with this plan..."
"But it flopped," another board member cut in. "You underestimated the competition, and that's a big no-no in business. Shouldn't you be held accountable for that?"
"The problem is your attitude," Hank's voice got louder, clearly ticked off.
Everyone in the room turned to look at him.
Andrew couldn't hide his smirk. Did Cecilia really think a week away would make this issue disappear? He was itching to see her squirm.
"The project failed, and you didn't report the reasons and results to the company right away. Instead, you dodged it. Frankly, it's lucky you're just a temporary leader. If you were the CEO, I'd be worried about the future of the Lockhart Group," Hank scolded.
Cecilia pressed her lips together, staying calm. She had expected this outcome today.
Before she could respond, a board member loudly said, "I acknowledge her abilities, but I can't condone her irresponsibility. Sure, you could say she's young, fresh out of college, and hasn't fully grasped the market yet, so she's been a bit reckless. Because of this, I think Cecilia needs more time to gain experience. Regarding the position of Vice President or even temporary leader, I personally suggest we replace her."
"I agree," Hank immediately chimed in.
"So, who do you think is more suitable for this position?" Cecilia didn't want to argue anymore and followed their line of questioning, "Andrew? Let him take over his father's spot."
Andrew's eyes lit up at the mention of his name, but Dominic had warned him not to jump the gun. The main goal was to bring Cecilia down, but that didn't mean he should grab her spot right away. Moving too fast would look bad to the board. The best move for Andrew was to decline now and secure the position later through his own achievements.
And for those achievements, Dominic would clear the path for him!
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