Friday, continued …Less than five minutes later after both the current and former legal department directors had entered Anna"s office, they found themselves confronted by Anna, Amanda and Hou Yi. Hou Yi said "Gentleman take a seat."
The current director said, "CEO Hou, this is a departmental matter."
"No gentleman, it is not. You cannot manipulate company policy in an attempt to dismiss Madam Yao."
"How do you know!" came the current director.
"Do not treat me like I am an idiot," responded Hou Yi in a quiet but deadly sounding voice. "Gentleman I am not stupid. CCTV cameras are throughout the building and what happened to Madam Yao was immediately drawn to my attention."
"I will explain this once and once only, as you should know company policy inside out. Policy requires prescribed senior management to approve leave. The preference is that this is within a department but any prescribed senior manager can, but their leave has to be approved by myself, the Vice-CEO, Deputy Vice-CEO"s, heads of the US and European divisions and a few other specified people. I can approve anyone"s leave."
"Understand this, just because someone outside the department approves leave, provided all other steps are followed you have no right to object and deem it as unapproved leave. You better hope that I only find out that you have targeted Madam Yao and my wife. If I find out that you targeted people who are fearful to stand up to you there will be h.e.l.l to pay, as staff are not to be held hostage to your whims"
"Now you both will be, required before the close of business Monday to sign a code of conduct specific to both of you with respect to approving leave. You breach that code and you will face disciplinary action. And before you ask, I will be having others who can approve leave do so, but as there are no issues with them approving leave they will have a month to sign it."
Anna could hear the longer Hou Yi was addressing these two, the angrier he was becoming.
"CEO Hou, but that interferes with our ability to manage the department," came a whinging reply.
"Go ahead. If you want to argue, I will remove your ability to approve any leave, and hand it over to the Human Resources Department and other senior members of staff."
"We need to control leave to manage the department CEO Hou," came the instant response from the current departmental head.
Hou Yi, by now was ready to fire the two of them, but with these two letting them loose will only damage the company. He spat out, "Get it through your heads. You are not the sole approves of leave within the company for this department. One more word and you will loose all ability to approve leave for anyone within the company. Get out of here before …"
Finally, they both realised how annoyed Hou Yi was with them, and that their jobs may be in jeopardy. They immediately fled from the room. After they left Hou Yi went and shut the door, and turned around to Anna and Amanda laughing. Amanda got out between the laughter "Boss, d.a.m.n it you are scary."
"True Yi, those two scurried out of here like the rats they are."
Hou Yi joined in the laughter. "You two are a comedy act." Once he settled down "Amanda, I have already approved leave for you this afternoon, we have a meeting to go to meeting at Mama"s and Papa"s."
"King demanding that you go down to his turf for the meeting?"
"You know him too well. Your husband set up the meeting and we have to meet him there at 3pm. We will be leaving about 2pm. Anna and I are having lunch together, but we will call you as we leave my office."
"Fine boss. See you then."
With that Amanda got up and left Anna"s office. Anna turned to Hou Yi and said "d.a.m.n it Yi, you are scary when you want to be."
He came over and gave Anna a kiss, "Sweetheart if I was nice all the time they would not fear meas their boss."
"True. Now scram, I have a few things to do before I come up in a hour or so for lunch."
"Make it as soon as you can, I know what we could do."
"Yi, we did that last night and this morning."
"Sweetheart, we had no opportunities for six weeks, and you know you want as much as I to take whatever opportunities we have, as we will get to the point in the future that we will …"
"Yi, you have your mind in a dirty place. We are in an office building."
"But you know I have a small suite attached to my office."
"Scram, let me do my work, and we will come and enjoy a leisurely lunch. We can leave that for tonight."
"d.a.m.n it Anna, I have to go away over the weekend for meetings in Seoul."
"Well I can come along, given it is not a long flight, and will be there for you …"
"Promises, Promises." Hou Yi gave Anna a brief kiss, and continued "See you soon."