So, review…being honest, I think it went really well, and I’m not just saying that because I both organised the whole thing AND compensated for the potential disaster. That’s what I do, as the secretary. I organise, and think on the fly. It’s what makes me good at my job.
It all began when the boss wanted me to find some kind of function room in Melbourne fancy enough to accommodate international guests. They were from Albajeria, and not just that…they were the absolute top dogs in the business that our own company deals in which shall remain unnamed because it’s just too obvious to say. If we were to secure a business partnership, it could mean the most fruitful business venture of the century. We would be playing on a global scale. The function room was everything!!
So I found a good one, of course. Organised the snacks, set everything up for a wonderful business meeting. And then they arrived, and disaster struck. See, the boss is allergic to crayfish. I specified no crayfish, and I have it in writing, but the catering company I ordered screwed up badly. And everything was so perfect, the function room was splendid, I wore my nicest jacket and smiled my hardest. None of it mattered when the boss started to choke. His airways had closed up, and the business deal was going the same way. The Albajerian delegates looked shocked. Something had to be done.
Naturally, I saved the day. In flawless Albajerian that I learned in VCE, I explained that it was an Australian business custom to consume a food one was allergic to, in order to seal a business deal. The risk taken by the act was deeply symbolic of the risks we would be taking as companies, together, and it signified his devotion to the cause. They seemed so flattered that our CEO would do this, they signed the contract immediately.
How’s that, everyone? Melbourne’s finest private function room, mostly good food AND I managed to seal the deal. Not bad for a PA.
-Sandrine