woman rides.” She patted my leg.
“On the way, let me begin your education regarding your duties here at Brighten Manor. Pay close attention. You have my permission to ask questions. I trust there will be many.”
Her first words stunned me.
“Every staff member on the Estate will report to you.”
She said it so simply, yet her words hung in the morning air like a suffocating weight. I felt dizzy.
“Report to me? Why My Lady? I have never managed anyone, I can’t….”
She interrupted me. “Then you shall learn, I will teach you, but you WILL learn! “Let’s get this corrected right now. Do not object to the responsibilities of being my personal assistant Sibyl. I find it tedious. You may ask what you must, and I will help you learn. If you are not up to that challenge, then we can part ways right now. Is that clear.” She halted the buggy. She waited.
“Oh My Lady, please. No. I promise never again will I challenge your instructions. I will do whatever needs doing. I’m so very sorry. Please go on. Please don’t release me.”
“Very well.” Smiling, she urged the horse to begin again.
“There are many staff, but you will only need to manage the leader in the structure of each of the Estate sections. Madison will report to you on a scheduled basis, one that you provide him. He has responsibility for the Manor house, its staff, including Cook, the chambermaids, house servants and others. There are files on all of those people in your office. I recommend you begin tonight, becoming familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of those in your service.”
My Lady glanced at me. “Are we clear on this?”
“Yes, My Lady, and what if someone is not performing?”
“Good question. You will bring the performance issue up with his or her manager. In a case with someone at the Manor, that particular case you would bring before Madison. It is then upon Madison to rectify the behavior, and if it continues, well you tell me Sibyl. What do you do if the same inappropriate behavior continues? This is a test. You’re a smart girl. Reason it out, what is your only recourse?”
I looked straight ahead, I was good at puzzles . I took my time. Once again My Lady patted my leg. She smiled at me.
“Talk it through Sibyl.”
“Well my first thought was that I would come to you for advice. Then I thought. No. If I were to do that, then my staff….. Oh good heavens, listen to me.” I touched her gloved hand. “My staff,” I giggled. “Well wait, it would be my staff wouldn’t it? And that being so, only I would be able to make corrections.”
I glanced at her. She smiled and nodded. “Go on.”
“Well, if I pursued that approach, coming to you that is, then I’d have two problems. First, I would lose any respect for my authority with staff, and second, if I bothered you with such issues, you would not have the manager you seek. I get it My Lady. Beginning today, you have one person reporting to you, and only one person you need to hold responsible for all of your holdings - me. Is that it?”
“That is perfectly said dear. Well done.”
I nearly swooned. It was the first compliment that My Lady had bestowed on me from a job perspective, and I was giddy. I picked up her gloved hand and kissed it.
“You execute your duties like that my little one and we’ll be fine. I’ll guide you along. That same approach is how you will handle all of my affairs. As I said, starting straightaway, get your head in the files. Identify your leaders. Make sure that they know what you are going to expect from them. Set the tone early and crisply. That carries forward to all of the Estate vendors as well. Call in the firms that supply the Manor. Talk to the grocer, the outside electrical service even the plumber. Let them know what level of service and quality you will expect from them. Let them know the penalties for non-compliance. Be firm. Be specific, and leave no room for prevarication.”
We were approaching
“On the way, let me begin your education regarding your duties here at Brighten Manor. Pay close attention. You have my permission to ask questions. I trust there will be many.”
Her first words stunned me.
“Every staff member on the Estate will report to you.”
She said it so simply, yet her words hung in the morning air like a suffocating weight. I felt dizzy.
“Report to me? Why My Lady? I have never managed anyone, I can’t….”
She interrupted me. “Then you shall learn, I will teach you, but you WILL learn! “Let’s get this corrected right now. Do not object to the responsibilities of being my personal assistant Sibyl. I find it tedious. You may ask what you must, and I will help you learn. If you are not up to that challenge, then we can part ways right now. Is that clear.” She halted the buggy. She waited.
“Oh My Lady, please. No. I promise never again will I challenge your instructions. I will do whatever needs doing. I’m so very sorry. Please go on. Please don’t release me.”
“Very well.” Smiling, she urged the horse to begin again.
“There are many staff, but you will only need to manage the leader in the structure of each of the Estate sections. Madison will report to you on a scheduled basis, one that you provide him. He has responsibility for the Manor house, its staff, including Cook, the chambermaids, house servants and others. There are files on all of those people in your office. I recommend you begin tonight, becoming familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of those in your service.”
My Lady glanced at me. “Are we clear on this?”
“Yes, My Lady, and what if someone is not performing?”
“Good question. You will bring the performance issue up with his or her manager. In a case with someone at the Manor, that particular case you would bring before Madison. It is then upon Madison to rectify the behavior, and if it continues, well you tell me Sibyl. What do you do if the same inappropriate behavior continues? This is a test. You’re a smart girl. Reason it out, what is your only recourse?”
I looked straight ahead, I was good at puzzles . I took my time. Once again My Lady patted my leg. She smiled at me.
“Talk it through Sibyl.”
“Well my first thought was that I would come to you for advice. Then I thought. No. If I were to do that, then my staff….. Oh good heavens, listen to me.” I touched her gloved hand. “My staff,” I giggled. “Well wait, it would be my staff wouldn’t it? And that being so, only I would be able to make corrections.”
I glanced at her. She smiled and nodded. “Go on.”
“Well, if I pursued that approach, coming to you that is, then I’d have two problems. First, I would lose any respect for my authority with staff, and second, if I bothered you with such issues, you would not have the manager you seek. I get it My Lady. Beginning today, you have one person reporting to you, and only one person you need to hold responsible for all of your holdings - me. Is that it?”
“That is perfectly said dear. Well done.”
I nearly swooned. It was the first compliment that My Lady had bestowed on me from a job perspective, and I was giddy. I picked up her gloved hand and kissed it.
“You execute your duties like that my little one and we’ll be fine. I’ll guide you along. That same approach is how you will handle all of my affairs. As I said, starting straightaway, get your head in the files. Identify your leaders. Make sure that they know what you are going to expect from them. Set the tone early and crisply. That carries forward to all of the Estate vendors as well. Call in the firms that supply the Manor. Talk to the grocer, the outside electrical service even the plumber. Let them know what level of service and quality you will expect from them. Let them know the penalties for non-compliance. Be firm. Be specific, and leave no room for prevarication.”
We were approaching
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