9 - Chapter Nine "The Thirty Percent Solution"

 

"The Thirty Percent Solution" 

Chapter Nine -  Mike Stein 

      The 17th floor was a world apart from the rest of Winshire.  Gone was the polished marble, the massaged leather, the tinted glass. Instead, the place was clean and functional with good lighting, an old-fashioned linoleum floor, and rows of tables with computers on each one of them. And seated in front of each computer were what I assumed were trained data technicians. 

      Winshire’s Research Department was the source of the key information for Ted Merritt’s address to the firm’s staff. As I explained to my host, Mohamad Mansour, the department’s head, I hoped he and his young talent would help me paint a picture of the future to help our consultants sign new clients. Mohamad Mansour was thin, bearded, dressed in khakis and a polo shirt. To me, he came across as a serious, no-nonsense professional.  

      “I just want to tell you that I really appreciate your help,” I told him. “This speech for Ted Merritt, it’s really important.”

      “Oh, the boss-boss,” he said with new seriousness. “It better be good, my friend.”

      “You and me both,” I said. “I get the impression that my job might depend on it, so, whatever you can do  .  .   .  You’re really helping me.”

      “My friend, whatever’s in my power.” But then, with a touch sadness, he said: “All of us jobwise, we’re all there.”

      While we were standing in the middle of the rows of techs entering data into their system, Mohamad explained the fundamentals of his department. 

      Research’s work was divided into two main areas. One was “the big societal trends,” like the importance of religion, the growth of consumerism, climate change, the rich and the poor, the impact of digital networks – the major influences that were pushing people in one direction or another worldwide.  The other area was the industrial sectors and consumer markets, like autos, chemicals, food products, pharmaceuticals, energy, that are influenced by the fundamental trends. 

      “Now, don’t laugh at me, please,” he cautioned. “Each of those areas is divided into two groups. Remember, this is serious, not humor. Those groups are ‘waves’ and ‘rain.’ We tried to find other names, but we just couldn’t find anything better. ‘Waves’ are the big movements, the ones that are the real leading ideas, and ‘rain’ is the little influences or the resistance or the holdouts to the dominant trends. One thing, though, we give each factor a value, to give ourselves some guidance.”   

       “And we’re trying to have a vision of what the world will be like in the years to come, and, believe me, it’s not gonna be easy,” he said. 

      I said, “I can think of a bunch of reasons, but what’s your take on it?” 

      “There’s no shortage of data, we’ve got masses of it,” he explained. “But what we gotta do is choose carefully, enter the right data into our systems, and use our programs to massage it and pull from all of it the useful conclusions.” 

      “Frankly, I – me personally – it seems so technical, I wouldn’t know where to start,” I said. “We just have to depend on you. Jesus, good luck.” 

      “And, one thing you gotta know,” Mohamad said, “and this is kinda important. We’re not alone. All the big guys, you know McKinsey, Booz-Allen, you know, all of them are trying the same thing.”  

      Mohamad explained that his goal was not to just assemble facts for some kind of a big report; rather it was to maintain an up-to-date database, into which new information would constantly be fed, for use by the different practices to guide them for ongoing use with clients and future projects. 

      He took his time and explained each idea carefully. “I thought that, if we could have some kind of a vision of the future, and then, of course, we’d work with our different practices and fill things in with specific recommendations. And it’d be up to our practices to use our research, as they want.” 

      It looked like Mohamad was running out of steam, because he chose that moment to introduce me to some of the members of his staff. The staff seemed to total about thirty at that particular moment. Mohamad said that it was their job to enter new information into their data bases, and just to show me where their data storage was, he showed me rows of servers on the other side of the room.  

      Mohamad had arranged for lunch, so suddenly platters of sandwiches and cans of soda and cups of coffee were brought in by a local deli. A lot of the staff took places at empty tables, while some of them kept working while they munched on their sandwiches. 

      The two of us chose an empty table. He asked me how I happened to start work at Winshire just at the moment when the firm needed an experienced writer. I explained a little about my background in journalism, and how Gordon Hope saw my work and then invited me in for an interview. 

      “Ah, Gordy,” Mohamad said.   

      “And, your story?” I said. 

      “I’ll bet my story isn’t what you’d expect,” he said. “The short version is that I’m here because a headhunter contacted me. I’d just finished a gig with another company, here in Manhattan, by the way, and I was looking for something new, something challenging. Anyway, with headhunters, you know, once you start talking with them, it’s like a whole set of other forces take over, and you lose control.

      “But the longer story is that I’ve always been involved with computers and systems and networks,” he continued. “My dad’s a professor in physics at Berkeley, and I said why not? Why not study there. So I got a degree in computer science, and that was just seven years ago, and I’ve been taking one gig after another. We’ll see how long this one lasts, and if I stay here.”  

      When we got back to work, I told Mohamad about my session with Ted Merritt. Now, I could see that Ted was following Research’s work closely, and that he had some pretty precise ideas about how useful the research would be in serving clients. And then, I told Mohamad how I hoped to use his conclusions. 

      “We, Ted and I, didn’t spend a lot of time on your work,” I said. “But what I found interesting, and what I hope I can use for his speech is some kind of a vision of the future, and – in fact – all these phrases came to me about using the future, about what the world could look like in the future. And then, maybe for the speech, I could give just a few specifics to show how the research can be used.”

      “I agree that the generalities don’t go far enough,” Mohamad said. “What I think we gotta do is pick our industrial sector, or maybe two, and then we gotta do some original research.”

      Then we shifted the conversation. “So let’s think of the industrial sectors that would make the biggest impression,” I said. “Personally, I like transportation. The auto industry has always been the greatest industrial power. You know the old saying, ‘The way GM goes, so goes the economy.’ And there’s a bunch of stuff we could focus on: Vehicle rental, self-driving, auto delivery, ride services, public transportation, crowded cities, pedestrian ways. So, it might be good to use transportation as one of our examples. 

      “The other area I like is food production, ‘cause there’s a lot happening there also. Industry consolidation, meat-processing problems, changing consumer tastes, consumer interest in cooking, sophisticated tastes, veganism, farm workers, changing consumer demand, logistics, the end of the supermarket, boy, that’s a lot already.” 

      I could see that Mohamad wanted to get back to work, but also that he’d really try hard. We shook hands, and he said, “So, you go ahead, throw your ideas on paper, and I’ll push those two areas here. Let’s see what we come up with.” 

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      After I got back to my office, I thought over my time with Mohamad, and I was surprised about my own reaction. I felt it was strange how ideas and tasks can take over your mind. Here I was with some serious doubts about Winshire, but nevertheless, I felt so motivated about Ted Merritt’s speech and how much I wanted it to succeed. 

      That afternoon, Scott Li also stopped by to offer his help. He said he’d give me input on any drafts I’d like him to review. He said that he was already working with an events planning company to decide on a date and on a site for the meeting. Before leaving my office he said, “You know, Mike, I think we’re in the wrong business. You wouldn’t believe what these guys, all of them, charge.”  

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      That same afternoon, I crossed paths with Ted Merritt at the Men’s Room –

his entrance and my exit. 

      “Just the man I want to see,” he pretended to be surprised. “You got a minute?”

      “Of course. Of course I do.” What can you answer when the president of the company wants to talk with you? 

      “I’ll be in your office in just a couple minutes,” he explained. “I just want you to bring me up to date. That’s all.” 

      True to his word, Ted Merritt knocked politely on my office door, and then took a seat across from me. 

      When he asked how his speech was coming, I was ready. “I liked your ideas about what your research group is doing. In fact, they’re trying to build a vision of the future and how that will impact your clients. I think that coming right out and saying to them, What do you think tomorrow will look like? What do you think your marketplace will look like tomorrow? It’s seizing. It says, if we can offer you that vision, then that’s a big advantage for you. You can really plan your business model 

with a lot more confidence. And you really can’t put a price on that. It’s gonna take some more work with Mohamad Mansour and his crew, but I think it’s the right approach.” 

      Ted smiled. “Mike I like what you’re doing and the direction you’re taking. Yes, keep pushing it.” Then Ted took on a serious air. “Now I want to tell you something on kind of a sensitive subject. It has to do with Gordy, Gordon Hope. He’s working on something for me.” 

      “Yes, I got that idea,” I answered. 

      “We’ll, I want to see what he can do,” Ted explained. “That is, what he can do on his own, without using the ideas of his associates or anyone else who’s around. So if he asks you for help . . .  Has he?”

      “Yes, kind of,” I admitted.  

      “Anyway, you have to put him off somehow, that’s all,” Ted said. “I want to see what he can do. Sometimes, consultants can kind of get used to doing the same things over and over, and we need new ideas around here. We got a lot of powerful companies breathing down our necks. They don’t like having us around. We need originality, creativity . . I’m sure you understand.” 

      “No problem, I know what to say.” 

      “I know it’s kind of tough, Gordy hiring you and all,” he explained. “He did a good job on that. Say what you want, say that it’s confidential, or that I told you not to talk about it. I’ll trust you.” 

      Then I watched Ted Merritt walk down the hallway toward his office.