As a result, the Board of Directors have decided to bring in Management Consultants to assess, review and carry out interviews with the mangement team to see what savings can be made that will help the company return back into profit. This kind of exercise had been performed before which proved not only expensive but also fruitless in the way the Board handled the crises. It seemed this latest threat of being interviewed by just another Management Consultant would pass over peacefully and we would return to our normal daily routine in the office.
This story begins one Friday afternoon around 4pm when I received a telephone call to go in and see my boss, Steve. "Colin, a consultant by the name of Susannah Llewellyn will be spending most of next week with you to interview and assess you on your current job role". It appears you are one of the first to be seen". My heart starting thumbing, it seemed this threat was becoming very real. I asked Steve if I should make any forward preperation before her arrival. "No" he said, "just clear your desk so Susannah can use it and you will have to use the small desk in the corner". "OK" I said. As I left his office he said "good luck". I was of course looking forward to the weekend, Spring was upon us and I had planned to go walking through the countryside. As I drove home I began to feel fear in my body. What was Susannah like? what would she do to me? would she help me keep my job? how old was she?. All these things went through my mind as I accepted my weekend had been ruined by this news from Steve.
I arrived in the office early on Monday morning to ensure everything was ready and prepared for Ms Llewellyn. I arranged my desk for her the best I could for her consultation she would be performing. Just after 9am I started to perform my normal working duties, however, this was short lived. I had received an e-mail from my boss saying that my normal working week had been suspended and that I was required to give all my time to the representative from Lansdown Consultants Ltd. This I knew to be a certain Ms Susannah Lewellyn. At around 9.30am I received a call from reception saying "Ms Llewellyn is here to see you". "OK" I said. I started walking down to meet her and was trembling with fear as I did so. Over the weekend it had come home to me that this week I would be reporting to a woman that I had never met before and that she would have total control during her time conducting interviews and assessments on me. I entered the reception area where there many people waiting to be seen for various reasons. We were a large company and had visitors come from wide and far. "Ms Llewellyn please" I asked, "Hi I'm Susannah" she said. I could not believe what I saw, I think I froze for a moment. Susannah was aged about 23, she was wearing a black trouser suit with a black pole neck jumper, her hair was long blonde tied into a pony tail and she had blue eyes. She was a little smaller than I but extremly attractive. But what I noticed most of all was her footwear, Susannah was wearing black ankle boots with a pointed toe and I believe had steel tips on the heels. I offered to take her slim brief case and laptop, "You will do more than that, take my coat and gloves as well" she commanded. Although Springtime, the early mornings can remain very chilly. My first impression of Ms Llewellyn was that she seemed to have come from a wealthy background and had been well educated. However, I had to accept and remind myself that Susannah was here to interview, review and assess me in my job, to which, she would then make recommendations regarding my future with the company. After hanging up her coat I fetched coffee for her. I was taken back my her beauty and for the first time had noticed her sleeper earings she was wearing and the soft aroma of her perfume against her lightly applied make-up.
"Now then" she said, "I am Susannah Llewellyn a consultant from Lansdown Consultants Ltd, and I'm here this week to interview and assess you on your suitability in remaining in your present job or wether there will be a need for me to recommend changes concerning your employment with this company". I replied "I understand the purpose of you being here this week Susannah". "By the way" she said "You will address me as Ma'am and not by my forename, do you understand?" I replied "I understand". It was difficult to accept, but for the first time in my life I was reporting to a girl less than halve my age. I soon came to learn that Susannah was indeed a very powerful person as a consultant and that I would be required to carry out her instructions when told to do so. Susannah went on to say " I have only just graduated from Uni and this is my first job with Lansdown Consultants... I intend to show them what I can do, however I promise that I will treat you fairly and providing you meet the criteria that I personally expect from a member of middle management like yourself, then you should have little to fear from me. I have set your "Examination Day" for this coming Thursday. This is the day that I have set aside for you to perform my various tests, examinations and written essays that I will give you to complete for me within my given timescales. This will clearly be your most important day, a day to perform for me, a day to achieve for me and a day to impress me with your skills and knowledge. During the other days I will conduct my interviews and carry out my personal assessment on your suitability in maintaining your current position in the company.
Tuesday morning arrived and today Susaanah was wearing a dark grey trouser suit with a very tight white top, her hair was still in a pony tail and it seemed Susannah was wearing the same ankle boots as she wore on her first day. The thought of ever seeing her feet or even her ankles was already far beyond me. It was clear she was a true professional at such a young age and although Susannah had little work experience behind her, she was clearly not going to suffer fools gladly. She said, "Good morning Colin, this morning I want to perform an in-depth interview with you so I can learn and understand as much about you as possible, it will help me in compiling my final written report on you and will also help me in making my recommendations for change in your circumstances to your Board of Directors". It seemed Susannah enjoyed telling me this, that there is a need for this process to establish her findings and to what she will finally recommend for my future with the company. I sat opposite her admiring once again her lightly applied make-up and every so often I could catch a drift of her perfume. I listened to every question Susannah put to me and answered the best I could. The type of questions ranged from date of birth, interests and hobbies and if I had any medical problems etc. It was at this point that Susannah reached for her briefcase and took out her Dictorphone. "Colin" she said, "Please repeat into my Dictorphone for me the medical problems you have". This I done as she held out her arm to record my speech. I felt so humiliated having to explain my personal problems to a 23 year old girl, but this is the postion I'm now in. Susannah Llewellyn has gained tremendous power in the short time she had Uni and had walked straight into a well paid job, a job that demanded respect and in certain terms, servitude. This is how I'm feeling right now, at the age of 52. I'm accountable to a 23 year old consultant who knows little about the outside world. Susannah's interest in my medical problem became apparent when she rose from her chair and walked round the front of her desk in front of me. Once again she held out her Dictorphone before me and said " Colin, I want further information on your medical problem, as I don't recall reading about these on your personal file". "The Dictorphone is on, you may start", she said. As Susannah held out her arm I caught the aroma of her purfume once again. I started to give my life history of my complaint into her Dictorphone. The torment of being instructed by her to carry out such a task before her was a demonstration I believe of her power and authority she now has over me. Before I finished giving Susannah my complete medical record, I was able to glance down at her feet and observe her wearing her black ankle boots. I just wish that I could have knelt before her at that moment, not only to be allowed to kiss her boots but also to be allowed to kiss the hem of her grey trousers she wore. It was not to be. Susannah moved back round to her chair, where she continued putting questions to me as part of her review and assessment on me. I would of died for her a few moments ago just to have been able to of been allowed to kiss her black ankle boots. I had to remember where I was, in the presence of a Management Consultant, who will decide by the end of the week whether I should remain in my job or not. Late on Tuesday afternoon Susannah was suddenly called away for a short while and when she returned she quickly gathered her belongings to leave the Office. "Colin" she said, with a sense of panic in her voice, "I will not be in the office tomorrow, but I will be here for your 'Examination Day' on Thursday, I want you in the office for 6.45am sharpe as I will get you to start your first examination for me at 7. "Good night".
I had no idea why Susannah left the office in such a rush but at least it meant I could focus more clearly on Wednesday on my own before I would have to appear before Susannah early on Thursday for my examination day, which I knew was going to be a long day of intense pressure. I believe Susannah was going to push me to my limits to see what I was capable of. I remember her saying earlier in the week that she has her own expectations on how she expects a member of middle management to perform and their level of output and achievement she expects from them. My concern is that in general I am not a morning person and it takes me time to get going and to think, facing Susannah at such an early time of 7am to sit my first examination for her was a thought of disbelief. I have no choice, Susannah Llewellyn, aged 23, is a post graduate management consultant who has been assigned by my company to assess me as a member of middle management and to make recommendations after the completion of her assessment for changes, which may affect my future and my entire life.
I arrived on Wednesday morning just after 9.15am, knowing I had a stress free day ahead of me. I had already been relieved of my normal work duties for the week, so I was available to be interviewed and assessed by Susannah whenever she chose, however, I was still wondering way Susannah was not in the office today. I had hardly fired up my systems when in walked a tall girl of around 19 years of age. She wore a black trouser suit with a dark red cotton top. Her hair was light brown, long and untied. She looked stunning. Like Susannah, she wore little make-up, but her purfume gave off a strong scent as soon as she walked into the office. She was wearing a pair of black ankle boots with chunky soles and heals with a round toe. They had no shine to them and looked shabby. "Hi" she said, "are you Colin?" in a very confident manner, "yes ma'am" I replied. Her looks and dress in general though did demand respect. " I'm Amanda Cooper, a consultant for Lansdown, get me a coffee straight away, white, no sugar". I went to fetch coffee for her and placed the cup carefully on my desk which Amanda had now occupied. Amanda went on to say without even saying thank you, "now listen, I'm here today to supervise you and tomorrow I will also be here to supervise you whilst you sit your examinations for Susannah. I can tell you Sussannah is unable to be here today as your Board of Directors have asked her to perform and carry out a high level interview and assessment on a manager at another location. However, Susaannah will be back tomorrow as I believe you are aware of. Today, I want you to perform for me and to start with, I want you to get on with your normal working duties as if I was not here. I want to observe you in the way you perform, act and study the method in the way you carry out your tasks and duties in the office. I will be giving you an excercise that you will complete for me later. I will be taking notes on your performance this morning". Once again I was being kept in control by a stunnning girl, who you would simply describe as a teenager. I got on with what ever I could find to do, bearing in mind my 'in tray' was empty due to my work load being transferred out for the week at Susannah's request. The morning seemed to go very slow and I could see Amanda was watching my every move and taking notes. "Colin", Amanda said, "I have just received a text from Susannah and she wants you to start your examinations and tests for her this afternoon, whilst I supervise you. Therefore I want you off to lunch at midday and you are to be back here at 12.30 to be seated for your first examination. "I understand Ms Cooper", I replied. I returned to the office at 12.30 sharpe as she had demanded. It became very clear that Susannah had sent in Amanda today to cover her while she was away attending to another in-depth interview, which I have since learnt is a Senior Manager, who is under performing in his duties. It appears Susannah will be making an example of him... I entered the office knowing I was to take my first test under the supervision of Amanda. I was shocked to see that while I was away a video camera had been set up in front of my desk.
Amanda had removed her black jacket and so I had full view of her curvy tight red top and tight fitting black trousers. "Right Colin, I want you seated her at your small desk for me. I need to tell you that Susannah has instructed that you are to be video whilst you are taking your examination for her this afternoon. Stay still for me while I check the settings for recording". I felt like a little school boy. I was member of middle management who had given, so far, 33 years of loyal service to my company and now I was being told not to move by a 19 year old consultant. Amanda bent over and looked into the camera and was making the final checks for recording under Susannah's instructions. I came to accept that it was now very much a case of those 'who have' and those 'who have not'. I was 52, Amanda was only 19. Amanda would go home tonight knowing she has a bright future and secure job earning $500 a day. I would go home this evening wondering if I had conducted and performed well for Amanda in my examination that she will issue me with. I thought again, will I perform well for Amanda, she is only 19 and has power and control over me. I must do my best for her. She is only 19 years old and she is putting me to work.
Amanda finished making any adjustments to the camera that stood on three legs. Amanda came up to me as she brushed back her hair, the scent of her purfume became stronger and at that moment I could of easily of fallen at her feet to kiss her boots. I only wish I could of done, but once again I was in the company of an Executive Consultant who was being paid to supervise me whilst I was about to take an examination for her.
"Now Colin, pay attention for me, do you want to go to the toilet before you start your exam?" "No Ma'am" I replied. "Good then we shall start" she said, putting one leg forward and playing with her hair. "Now listen to what I have to say carefully, your test paper this afternoon lasts for 4 hours, during that time, I forbid you speak,
I forbid you to visit the toilet and I forbid you leaving your desk for any reason. Do understand what I have just said to you?" I replied, "Yes Ma'am". "Susannah has ruled that you must achieve a pass mark of 90% with this test paper in order for you to keep your position in the company, it will tell Susannah and I how you react and cope under severe pressure and stress this afternoon with this test paper. I will now read out the question from the test paper, when you understand the question, I will start the stop watch and video camera, do you understand me?" I replied "Yes Ma'am". Amanda then read out the question from the test paper as she stood close by, I lowered my head in servitude and caught sight of her black ankle boots and enjoyed the aroma of her purfume before my torment began. Amanda said, "Describe to me, in not less than forty thousand words the American involvement in the Vietnam War, do you understand your question?" "Yes Ma'am" I replied, "then begin" she said. Amanda clicked her stop watch and moved round to start the video camera. I had been put to work on an awsome subjet, of which, I knew little about. Amanda went over to her desk and sat down placing the stop watch in front of her. I thought again that I'm 52 years of age and that I have just been set to work by a 19 year old teenager who has just placed me under severe pressure and mental strain. Perhaps she will have some delight in telling her boyfriend or even her parents of her ability of putting a 52 year old man under severe pressure, while she sits back and supervises me. The room was silent and was to remain so. I was being tested in my mental ability by Amanda Cooper (Aged 19), Management Consultant for Lansdown Consultants Ltd. After about half an hour, I heard Amanda move from her desk, I didn't dare look up. A few moments later she placed a very small glass of water on my desk and placed her finger over her mouth reminding me I was not allowed to speak. I was finding it difficult to cope with my project knowing that Amanda was sitting a short distance away supervising me. I dare say she was enjoying her power she had over me and I would expect that she would tell her friends at the weekend, perhaps while she was out drinking or clubbing on how she placed a 52 year old man under severe mental pressure. A little later and halfway into my examination, Amanda came over to my desk, her arms folded and stood over me to see how I was performing for her. She again placed her figure over her mouth as I looked up to her, reminding me she had forbid me to speak during my examination. Amanda felt for the number of A4 sheets I had completed for her. She removed my empty glass and returned to her desk, my mouth was very dry due to the stress I was under. I was hoping for a fresh glass of water to arrive knowing that I still had two hours to go in completing her examination. Instead, Amanda poured her own water into a glass and started drinking. Amanda must have known that I would be very dry in the mounth due to the extensive pressure she was putting me through, but somehow, I believe, she enjoyed knowing that she could drink at any time, but for me, she would forbid it. I thought I was doing well, when suddenly Amanda said, "OK stop what your doing, times up, pen down now". Amanda came over and collected my papers with one hand, while she pulled back her hair with the other. "Remain seated until I tell you to move". It was clear Amanda wanted to secure my work under lock and key before I was permitted to leave my desk. "You may now move from your examination table" as she closed down the video camera, said Amanda. "Ma'am", I said, "please may I have your permission to go to the toilet", "NO" replied Amanda, as she walked round in front of her desk. "Come over here Colin and kneel at my feet" said Amanda. "Today you have been a good little boy, I have only known you for a few hours and yet I have identified a weakness in the fact you like what I'm wearing, but also I believe you like my boots and my perfume, is this so?" said Amanda, "Yes Ma'am", I replied. "Then I will allow you to kiss the toe of each boot just once and only once for me". I lowered my head in complete servitude as I had done earlier in the exam. As I lowered my head to my 19 year old management consultant, I took advantage of trying to trace the aroma of scent from her black trousers before placing my lips on her leather boot, first her left boot, then to kiss her right boot. I was at the feet of a 19 year old Management Consultant from Lansdown Consultants Ltd. I was at the feet of a 19 year old, who, at the weekend, would go out drinking, dancing and clubbing with her boyfriend, I was kneeling at the feet of Amanda Cooper, Management Consultant. "Enough, rise before me" said Amanda, who went on to say "Ms Llewellyn will be very pleased to learn that I have identified a weakness in you today, with the fact you adore my perfume and my little black ankle boots. I'm positive Susannah will use that to her advantage tomorrow, when, as you know, you will continue further with your tests and examinations we will both give you to complete for us. It is vital Colin you come in tomorrow at 7.00 with a clear mind and that you are relaxed. I understand Susannah may decide to put you through a 'treadmill' system, so to speak, by this I mean, I understand she may set you more than one test or exam at a time, but as a current member of middle management, Susannah's vision would be for you to complete both tasks for her in the time that she decides to give you". Good luck and good night.
Don't miss Part II with it's beautiful foot worship session: The Management Consultant - Part II