MR. RAMIREZ: Come in, Arnold. Have a seat.4 s) R& h* a s
ARNOLD: Good morning.
0 I7 c1 ?8 m& f1 e2 t) Q# | MR. RAMIREZ: Would you like something to drink?
' o/ Y `+ C; F/ z% [( g/ E% Y ARNOLD: No, thank you. I just had two cups of coffee at my desk.
: E, l! v: r, a MR. RAMIREZ: So, you're a serious coffee drinker.
$ a& L* J; A& R9 B, p ARNOLD: Yes, it keeps me going. Sometimes I think I'm addicted.' E! \: H+ v1 S# E0 l. X" A' D; w9 h$ u4 W
MR. RAMIREZ: Well, coffee isn't such a bad thing.2 D \, X b& x) c! @3 J6 n
Everyone has to have something.
" `, I6 m* D: ]0 ^# j For me, it's cigars. Are you a cigar smoker?& N& g* [5 S1 H7 u0 a/ g. \& `- U
ARNOLD: No, I've tried them. But I’m not really a smoker.
8 }/ G! C9 e3 X$ ] MR. RAMIREZ: Well, what would you like to talk to me about?
4 U2 e4 L. d# c, | T ARNOLD: I wanted to set up this meeting with you to discuss a little proposal.& D2 O! _8 g* n9 ? @
MR. RAMIREZ: I'm glad when people have new ideas around here. Tell me about it.
8 e2 H# l: k; y1 ~4 a) R ARNOLD: It is about the staff meetings.5 A2 L6 t/ j/ b- C
You know how we have a staff meeting every Tuesday.
6 Q ]4 z, V# l) Z) O* f MR. RAMIREZ: Yes.
( _; ]% D/ e9 |1 o n ARNOLD: Well, I have been thinking about it.
# O. b0 e2 r9 T& p And I believe we could do things more efficiently here.) j+ J2 N7 F$ o% n& U
MR. RAMIREZ: What do you suggest?
0 S, ]+ }0 j3 n8 K1 @; c ARNOLD: The way it is now, the staff from all four branches get together once a week.
" C# Z3 J% M8 y$ _4 {$ h( f+ _ We meet for one hour. But I think a lot of time is wasted in transportation.. D4 J9 ^6 \; n. y8 P( a
MR. RAMIREZ: You mean because people have to go across town to get here.# F# h: m+ I7 I+ T3 e- w
ARNOLD: Yes. Some people spend half of the morning on the road.
/ e# s7 k* s! h8 S- x; [ MR. RAMIREZ: That's true. But our staff meetings are very important, Arnold.
/ }; ~% b3 X2 v- K) q8 t I don't know how we can function without them.' D% Y* ?- ` L+ C6 W8 O* K
ARNOLD: I think they are important too.$ W3 P9 X1 R: g: s, S4 Z/ ^9 V
That's why I want people to have a better attitude about them.
0 n7 y$ [1 i0 p+ x) {1 j4 C- Y3 v MR. RAMIREZ: I know a lot of people think the meetings aren't too useful.
, c1 `9 }/ k) S- } I'm aware of that.$ Q, d1 M' I9 K3 e( P; s
ARNOLD: Here's what I propose. |& X8 N4 `, P7 `1 W
I think we should meet once every two weeks, but meet for ninety minutes or more.
3 Y7 v- C, M8 ~4 n' X R MR. RAMIREZ: Well.. X, ~9 G$ F/ l0 l/ V
ARNOLD: I also think the meetings should be more focused.
" ]! ^& _. G( e! U; [/ \ And I would be willing to take responsibility for that.+ R6 `4 n, O; e/ j# N/ T, ]9 a6 r
MR. RAMIREZ: You mean you want to run the meetings? x# c: j. M" a" h) O+ M9 q% N& g o& H
ARNOLD: No, not really run them. But I could help organize them.
5 z. J0 y+ x8 [# x3 j. F. I2 V- F* S I could discuss meeting topics with you, and then prepare a schedule for each meeting.; J$ @5 Y% F8 B' J* |$ H
I could then send an e-mail to all the staff to explain the coming meeting.( J6 Z% @$ s8 T5 e6 r: A% C
This way the meetings would become more focused, and people would prepare better.
8 ^2 U0 M% y7 {1 G) r3 ? MR. RAMIREZ: Hmm. But we would meet every two weeks.
" {* `+ @: C. `& Q' w+ H$ s7 C: @ ARNOLD: I really think it would work.
; T4 }- A: I! w( S7 Y; z The meetings could be longer, and better organized.- O, o$ P5 a h$ G
MR. RAMIREZ: I am not against the idea, Arnold.
+ M, ^7 i9 k! x% ^4 C' g2 k It may really be more efficient, as you say. I'll tell you what we can do. _; w& X) O8 q2 Q
Why don't we try your proposal for a month, and see how it works.2 H$ s0 v) Q) |0 ^3 Y
ARNOLD: Excellent. I would be happy to get started on it.
+ K/ K8 s+ |" U8 D$ E) [- z& v* \ MR. RAMIREZ: I will call the managers.
9 `: O2 ^1 N8 l9 Z Then tomorrow I'll tell you when we can schedule our first meeting in this “new style |