Chapter 3: The CEO

Story Summary:
Lola now faces a dilemma. The CEO of her company doesn’t want her to resign. And he is not the
kind of man you disagree with.

Key Learning Points:

In this chapter we discuss the sensitive process of RESIGNING from a company. How do you leave
on good terms if your colleagues don’t want you to go?
We also explain the concept of MONOPOLY POWER, what it means and how companies can abuse
their position in the market.
We do a brief review of COUNTABLE vs. UNCOUNTABLE NOUNS and help you avoid the common
mistake with the word ADVICE.
And finally, we introduce you to an interesting idiom, TO PULL SOME STRINGS, which is often used
when referring to power and influence in business life.

Hi, it's Sam here. And welcome back to The Adventures of Lola Badiola. In the last episode, Lola was taken up
to the 51st floor to meet with the CEO. In this episode, we're going to find out what he says to her. We are also
going to study the expressions, phrasal verbs and advanced vocabulary that are used in the text. But first, let's
return to the CEO's office.

The Adventures of Lola Badiola.

Chapter 3

The CEO. Mario Ruiz de Velasco was everything Lola expected him to be: charming, aristocratic and
intimidating. She had seen him being interviewed on television, making company presentations and from time
to time walking around the headquarters. But she had never been up close and personal like this before. She
could sense his aura, feel his magnetism. After a couple of minutes of small talk, the two of them sat down
either side of his antique oak desk.

So what's on your mind? He asked.

Well, after careful consideration and with the greatest respect to you and everyone at TechSpania, I have
decided to resign.

Ruiz de Velasco lit a cigarette and stared at Lola without replying. She felt obliged to say more.
It's been an amazing seven years, but I really feel that it's time for me to move on. Ruiz de Velasco remained
silent. I'd like to thank you and everyone at. Where are you going?

Lola was startled by the sudden interruption.

It's a small startup. You wouldn't have heard of it.

Try me.

The CEO waited patiently for her answer. Lola felt compelled to fill the silence.

It's a company called JBlock.

Ruiz de Velasco nodded his head.

It's run by a young American entrepreneur. They plan to use the Ethereum blockchain to reinforce security
systems.

It's a nice idea.

That's right, replied Lola, trying to hide her surprise at his knowledge of the company.

And what are they offering you that we aren't?

It was a difficult question. Lola's decision to move was driven by instinct rather than rationale.

I want to be part of something new. I want to build something from zero. JBlock are offering me the chance to
make a difference.

You don't think that you can make a difference here?

Ruiz de Velasco took a long drag of his cigarette and then let it balance on the edge of a large marble ashtray.
His questioning had led Lola down a dead end road. She couldn't respond.

Listen, Lola: TechSpania controls the cyber security sector in Spain, South America and much of Europe. Our
strategic objective is to defend our monopoly position. So when a company like JBlock enters our market, we
observe them, we study them, then we either buy them or we bury them.

The CEO took one last drag on his cigarette and then crushed it into the ashtray.

You have no future at JBlock because JBlock has no future. If you want to make a difference, the only place
you can do that is here with us at TechSpania.

The CEO paused to let his words sink in. Then he softened his tone.

You're an exceptional manager, Lola. You've done amazing things over the last seven years. With my help,
you can make it to the very top of this organization. But I need to know that you're committed to our cause.

This was the moment of truth. Should she stay or should she go? Only half an hour earlier, she was 100%
convinced that she was leaving. Now, sitting in front of the CEO of TechSpania, one of the most revered men
in the world of business technology, she was not so sure. In the back of her mind, she remembered the three
pieces of advice that Concha had given her: Don't tell them where you're going. Don't get emotional. And
above all else, do not change your mind. She had already ignored the first two pieces of advice and was on the
brink of ignoring the third. She needed to buy herself some time.

Could I get back to you tomorrow with my final decision?

Ruiz de Velasco sat back in his chair with a look of disappointment on his face. That was not the right
response. His eyes narrowed and his head tilted slightly to one side. The atmosphere in the room darkened.
Lola felt the hairs on her arms stand on end.

Your father was a great man, he said quietly.

Lola was thrown off balance by the sudden change in direction.

You knew my father.

We were close.

Really?

Lola didn't remember seeing Ruiz de Velasco at her father's funeral.

He called me when you interviewed here seven years ago. He asked me to look after you.

Lola started to feel uncomfortable. She resented the implication that her father had pulled strings for her.

Since then, I have been following your progress closely. Making things happen for you.

Lola became defensive.

I think that I've made things happen for myself at this company.

Ruiz de Velasco smiled. It was the smile of a shark about to bite into its prey.

Do you think a girl like you could have succeeded in a company like this without a sponsor like me?

The attractive mask slipped from his face to reveal the shadow beneath.

I'm the invisible hand that's been guiding your career. And I can take you to the very top of the mountain. Or I
can throw you off it.

A shot of adrenaline pumped through Lola's nervous system. This was the Mario Ruiz de Velasco that she had
heard whispers about the vain and vindictive tyrant who took pleasure in crushing his competitors. She knew
that it was over. A line had been crossed.

Thank you very much for your time, Mr Ruiz de Velasco.

Lola stood up slowly, looking straight into those piercing green eyes.

I'd shake your hand if it weren't invisible.

And then she left TechSpania for good.

***
Well, there you go. Lola has made her move. She has left TechSpania to join JBlock. Now, to stop me from
revealing any spoilers, let's turn our attention to an important grammar point. Let me ask you a question. Did
your father give you a lot of good advices when you were young? Did your mother give you a lot of good
advices when you were young? No, they didn't.

Your father didn't give you good advices, and neither did your mother. Because advice is an uncountable noun
and therefore cannot be used in the plural. Have another listen to this paragraph from the episode.

In the back of her mind, she remembered the three pieces of advice that Concha had given her. Don't tell them
where you're going. Don't get emotional. And above all else, do not change your mind.

You either use advice as an uncountable noun: she gave me a lot of good advice, or as in the segment that
you have just heard, you use a countable noun to quantify the advice. She gave me three pieces of advice.
What you must not say is she gave me three advices. Now talking about advices is one of the most common
mistakes that you hear from non-native speakers in business situations. So try to avoid that mistake.

Now, what do you think of those three pieces of advice? Lola is going to resign. And her best friend says: don't
get emotional, don't tell them where you're going and do not change your mind. Do you think that this is good
advice?

Well, let's imagine, like Lola, that you have worked happily at your company for many years. You like them and
they like you. But then a wonderful opportunity arises. It's your dream job. It's an opportunity that's too good to
refuse. So you accept it? Now you have to go back to your old company and resign. You have to look your
boss in the eyes and tell him or her. It's over.

So firstly, don't get emotional. It's your career. It's your future. And if there was ever a time to make a rational
decision. Then this is it. Now, it's difficult to remain unemotional at times like this, but it's necessary.

Secondly. Don't tell them where you're going. You see, if you give them this valuable piece of information, then
they will tell you why that specific company is not a good fit for you and your personality. They may even
introduce you to people who used to work there and were really unhappy. And little by little, they'll put doubts
into your head until you eventually crumble. So don't tell them where you're going until they've accepted your
resignation and you are out of the building.

Which brings us to the third and final piece of advice. Don't change your mind. You should be 100% committed
when you tell somebody that you're resigning. Why? Well, if they convince you to stay. If they persuade you to
withdraw your resignation. Maybe by increasing your salary, giving you a promotion or offering you some other
kind of improvement. Then on the surface, everyone will feel quite pleased with themselves. But deep down,
there will be a breakdown in trust. You are no longer going to be seen as a team player. You have put a gun to
their head. And things will never be the same.

In my 15 years working in investment banking, I have seen people who have resigned and then changed their
minds. And it almost always ends in tears.

So in conclusion, I think those three pieces of advice that Concha gives to Lola are very sound. What do you
think?

Okay, let's move on to a fundamentally important business word and concept. Listen to this sentence again.

Listen, Lola, TechSpania controls the cybersecurity sector in Spain, South America and much of Europe. Our
strategic objective is to defend our monopoly position.

What is a monopoly and why does Ruiz de Velasco want to defend his monopoly position? Well, in its purest
form, a monopoly is a company that is the only supplier of a good or service in a specific market. It faces no
competition. Now, in the old days, the big telecommunications companies were monopolies. And in these days,
the big tech companies like Facebook could be called monopolies as well. Now, here's the rule about
monopolies: They always and everywhere screw the consumer. They are a failure of capitalism. And you, me,
and all the other customers suffer. Why? Because we have nowhere else to go. We have no choice but to use
the monoplies' services. No matter how bad or expensive they are.

Let me give you a real life example. We moved to Madrid in 2012 at the height of the financial crisis, and in our
neighborhood, almost all of the restaurants had shut down. In fact, there was only one that had survived, so
there was only one place that you could eat out if you didn't want to drive 20 minutes into the center of Madrid.
So this restaurant was therefore a monopoly supplier in our local market. Now. What do you think the service
was like at this restaurant? It was absolutely awful. Terrible. Horrible. The food was expensive. The waiters
were rude. And yet the business made a lot of money. Because it was a monopoly and customers had
nowhere else to go until three years later and the economy is starting to recover. And another restaurant
opened up next door. So guess what happened next? Everyone, including myself and my family, started eating
at the new restaurant and eventually the old restaurant went out of business. It was taken over. So nowadays
we have six restaurants in our neighborhood. We have a real choice. And the service in all of them is great.
Why? Because there is healthy competition and the customer can choose.

Now let's go back to the story. The strategic goal of Mario Ruiz de Velasco is to defend his company's
monopoly position. You say monopolies are bad for consumers. But they are great for the owners of a
business. Because they don't have to compete. They don't have to lower their prices and improve their
standards. They can generate excess profits. And that is exactly why Mario de Velasco wants to defend his
monopoly position.

So in conclusion, the next time you receive consistently poor service from a company. Ask yourself why this is.
And normally the answer will be the company providing you with the service has some kind of monopoly
power. You have nowhere else to go.

Okay. Let's move on to an interesting common expression. Have a listen to this sentence again.

Lola started to feel uncomfortable. She resented the implication that her father had pulled strings for her.

To pull some strings. This means that you are secretly using your power and influence to manipulate a
situation. The term comes from puppetry, so puppets or marionettes are manipulated by the means of strings
that are held by the puppet master. Now, how would you feel if someone was pulling strings for you? How
would you feel if hidden behind the scenes a powerful ally was manipulating the situation for your benefit?
Well, in the case of Lola, it makes her feel uncomfortable. And resentful. Why? Because it implies that her
success is not due to her own skill, talent and hard work, but due to the influence of her father and the
intervention of Mario Ruiz de Velasco. She doesn't want anyone pulling strings for her. After all, what pleasure
is there in success that you have not earned? What pleasure is there in success that you do not deserve?

Okay. On that note, we come to the end of today's class. In the next session, we will be introducing some new
characters to our story. As Lola starts her new life at her new company, and we continue to entertain you to a
fluent and confident level of business English.

Until then, keep practicing and remember: Don't get emotional. Don't tell them where you're going. And above
all else. Do not change your mind.