Thoughts racing, jumbled meaning, heart-pounding; this is what Jason lives for. A dedicated young man with way too much foisted on his shoulders, Jason took it upon himself to take a mental health break and take a trip to Banff, Alberta. It was there he would go climbing Mt. Robson. The day started like many others, with Jason waking up next to his long-time girlfriend Sarah. She was the star of his eye and he was completely enamoured with her, and vice versa.
“Good morning sunshine,” Jason says while bringing a cup of coffee to a barely awake Sarah. She smiles as she delights in the affection her boyfriend shows her. “Mmmm, good morning; why don’t you come back to bed and you can be late for your meeting with your dad?” Jason looked at the pouting face Sarah made and was sorely tempted to as he looked at her graceful stature and long golden locks. Locking the image in his mind of a woman who has been nothing but perfect, with a few hiccups along the way, Jason replies. “Love you know how much I want to, but I can’t be late for this; my dad is already wary of my coming on board as the VP and I don’t want to give him any reason to not.” With a wink, he continued. “Plus we will be up in the mountains together tonight, with the November chill, we’ll need to keep each other warm somehow.” Sarah’s cheeks went rosy as she imagined the night that she was in for and acquiesced to hold off until then.
Thus started the frenzied day in Jason’s world, one where he would present himself before the board of his dad’s company and make a presentation on what he brought to the table. “Under my leadership, the cuts that we have made in the manufacturing process has brought 13% growth to our stock price and my team and I ushered in the new automation methods which will continue to be developed and implemented across Canada. This was done over 6 months and was unprecedented in the companies history. I am not asking you to put me in a position of power, I am telling you I am the only one who can fulfill the demands that are put in place. I am my father’s son, he built this company with his bare hands and my heart bleeds for this place.”
The 6 men gathered around the table look on with rapt attention to a charismatic and charming Jason. His father beaming in the background as he watches his son convince and bring to a head the culmination of many years of teaching and the direct approach taken to come to fruition. Though Duncan has six children, none of his others compare to his eldest, Jason. He reflects on the life of his son with fondness and trepidation, wondering just how far his son will go. Only twenty-five and already a Masters’s in accounting and a Bachelors’s in Chemistry, Jason was poised to become a man of great influence. Duncan himself was from a lower-middle-class family and instilled it into his son to work hard and accomplish much by focusing on your strengths and hiring out for your weaknesses. This proved to work for him and he is the owner of a multimillion-dollar contracting firm and has connections far across Canada.
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“And that is why I put my name forward for the Vice President of Operations position.” Jason ended with a smile that was easy and kind. Duncan knew that he had won the board over and he was more than convinced that his son had the aptitude and a willingness to move forward in this position. But he also knew that his son was sheltered, though he tried to harden him with an occasional push here and there, his son was not ready yet. So it was with love that only a father could have that he spoke up. “Son, you’re not ready yet.” and with that, shock and incurious looks from every person in the meeting went to Duncan. Jason was rattled, his dad was stalwart that he was on Jason’s side and that he would support him through this. “Why?” Jason choked out. “Because your soft, you let the workers have their way with you. Your too chummy with Brandon, and you have lots to learn in manufacturing still.” This was hard on Duncan as he meant it as a lesson for Jason but the fire in his son’s eyes told the story of hurt, that bordered on rage.
“I am leaving for Japan this afternoon, when I get back we will speak more on this but know that the board reconvenes for this matter in six months. I am confident that you will be ready then.” The board members followed Duncan’s every word, more seat warmers than go-getters they allow the man to lead and they follow.
“Meeting adjourned.” Duncan ended the meeting and the other members filed out with a still shell shocked Jason at the front of the conference room. “Son, I do this because I love you. The world will knock you down and not everything will go your way. You have had tremendous success and your trajectory amazes me. But I see that going to your head, son you have not had one set back, everything you put your hands to has been successful, and that has this old man worried. I want you to be ready for the world.” Duncan continued as Jason’s features softened, and an unshed tear wells. “This was a closed meeting, there are no minutes and it won’t be made public. Trust me, you will find this a blessing in disguise, even if you can’t right yet.”