>> Hi, Gloria. Nice to see you. Excuse me. Excuse me just for a minute. >> Sure. >> Let me just finish this up; all right? >> Okay. >> Great. I'm all yours. How's everything going? >> Well, Len, other than the reason I've had to request this meeting, I'd say things are going quite well. Our projections look solid for this quarter. Couple of new hires I'm very, very pleased with. So. >> Great. >> But I have to be honest with you. John's behavior has just become beyond the point of simple insubordination or difficult employee. He's become physically threatening. And that's why I've requested this meeting. I want it documented. I want you to understand just how serious it is. >> Actually, I really sense your importance. Would you mind if I take notes? >> No. Please do. Please do. >> Okay. I'm just going to put today's date on it. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> As I outlined, John will come into my office unannounced. I'll be absorbed in something. And all of a sudden I'll look up and he's there. He's hovering over me and he won't speak. He will say nothing. And I've been startled. And I'll say, "John, John, what, you know, what is this? What do you need to see me about?" And he just really won't answer. I've said to him, "John, this is unacceptable. You know, if you need to see me my office is open to all of my staff. But you have to at least knock. You have to be recognized." Another time I was scurrying down the hall going to a meeting and he physically blocked my way and refused to move. Insisted he wanted to talk about bonuses or something. And when I tried to go around him he grabbed my arm and said, when you answer my question you can go. And-- >> Did you respond back to him when he touched you? What was your-- >> Absolutely. Absolutely. And I told him-- >> What was-- >>--I told him. I said, "I'm going to write this up. This is in appropriate. You cannot behave this way." I've tried to work with him. I've tried to reason with him. I've tried to talk with him. Nothing seems to work. >> Have you spoken yet to HR? >> Yes, I have. And that's why they told me to go through this formal process of requesting a meeting with you. And, you know, and documenting what has happened. And, you know, Len, I've been in the corporate world for a number of years and I've got an excellent track record. >> Actually, you do. And I - just let me break in for a minute. I wanted to compliment you. I know since you came over - it's been four years now - you have been doing a tremendous job. >> Well, thank you. >> Positively. >> Thank you. >> And because of that, the fact that you asked for this meeting that's why how I can tell how important it was to you. What you're telling me, I want you to truly understand that I'm absorbing it. >> Okay. >> Why do you think this is happening? >> It's just conjecture on my part, Len. I don't really know him that well. I'm probably the first woman he's ever worked for. Again, it's just conjecture, but I think he just really never accepted that. Never wanted me in that position and I think he feels because he's had such a history here. And I know a positive history. I know he's been a good employee. I think he feels he enjoys your confidence and the confidence of everyone else in senior management. And that he can pretty much do what he wants. >> How has his performance been? You've been his supervisor for four years now, and I remember when he worked for me he had a certain way of doing business. Yet, his customers really liked him and respected what he said. How has that-- >> I'll give him that. I'll give him that. His numbers are always solid. Always solid. And, you know, he's an experienced guy. He's got a great track record. I have absolutely no problem with his performance. But his attitude and his behavior towards me that is just beyond egregious at this point. And as I said, physical intimidation and physically threatening. >> Let me ask you a couple question if I can. You also have two very top notch sales reps working with you at John's level. One is female. How does he work with her? >> I've never witnessed anything other than just kind of, you know, friendly comradely. There's a certain competition. But I've never seen anything inappropriate. No. But they're peers so I don't know. He'd have no reason to try to physically intimidate her. >> Let's nip this in the bud. One thought that I have right now is, of course, I could bring John in and speak to John. And I could do this anonymously by saying oh, I've heard something about this. Or somebody has said that there may be some conflict. Or I could do it by using your name. That's one way of handling it. Another way of handling it, obviously, is we can move him to a new supervisor. We can move him to a new division. We're merging now so we can move him to a whole new part of the country. He's your employee. Now [knock at the door], we can also terminate him. So, but I want you think about these options. All right? >> All right. >> Who is it? >> Lenny, I just heard you were having a meeting about me that excludes me. >> Do me a favor-- >> Oh, my God. >>--do me a favor, John. I ask you to respect us and to please - I'll call you in a few minutes once we finish here. >> Absolutely. Concede me this one statement. Let me just say this-- >> Lenny, this is my problem with him. He respects no boundaries at all. >> One statement. >> Bully himself. >> One statement, Len. Are we not all on the same team? So why the adversarial stances? >> John, let me establish something first. We are in a confidential meeting. I've loved you as a brother, and you're a great second baseman. But you please have got to let us do the business that's at hand. >> But, you know, these secret, underhanded meetings. They instill, you know, an air of hostility that we never had before. Everything was always out in the open. We confronted each other. We dealt with each other. And we licked our wounds and went back to work. And we were able to get a lot accomplished because of that. Now with these secret accusations. Gloria, you have got something-- >> Please, do me a favor. I'll be happy to speak with you when our meeting's done. In fact, I'll talk with you the first thing after lunch. So, please, would you let us - let us alone? >> Absolutely, Len. My problem is why this exists at all. >> Please, Len, I--. >> Do us a favor-- >> Len, please. >> Why suddenly is there-- >> You have got to leave this office now. >> --climates now? Accusation. Why are you doing this to me, Len? >> You must leave this office now. Now. >> You're being very unfair, Lenny. I'm going to go. But I will say this. That in the eight years I have been here, I have never felt this-- >> Are you available at 3:00 this afternoon? >> --clandestine hostility. >> Are you available at three? >> Oh, God. >> Whenever you need me, Lenny. >> Okay. Do me a favor. Come on back at 3:00. >> Oh, God. >> I'm your man. >> Len [laughs], all I can say is I rest my case. >> I really want you to think about the options. I'm very serious. I do not in any way want to lose you. I do not in any way want to undermine you. I do feel that you are destined to succeed in this company. We are a growing company. And there are other options to put him in. Have you written in his performance review the nature of your objections? Let me say that. >> Yes, I have. I've documented it. >> Have you reviewed with him your own evaluation? >> Absolutely. >> You have reviewed with him. >> Absolutely; absolutely. >> All right. So then-- >> Again, this contemptuous attitude. >> Well, but if I bring - again. It doesn't matter what is added to this. Right now what's most important is that we do the job well. Is that you feel as a comfortable supervisor that the people below you are performing well don't physically threaten you. >> Right; right. >> And I'm sure we'll be able to work something out. Do you feel that you had a fair-- >> Absolutely. >> --hearing? >> Absolutely. Now, and again, and since he - you saw evidence-- >> I saw. >> --of what I've been putting up with. >> I saw. >> You've seen it. And as far as your options, I don't necessarily want to see the guy fired. >> Okay. >> I mean nobody wants that for anyone. But I don't want to just put a problem on someone else. >> Okay. >> So I really think I would like to see the company take a position with him. You know, issue a stern warning. Something with teeth in it. Something that means something. >> Okay. >> You know, he'll know that this kind of behavior cannot continue. >> That's actually an excellent suggestion. All right. Let me give some thought to that. What I think we'll do is I want to hear what he has to say. You and I will confer again next week. And I promise you we'll get something done. >> All right. >> Don't worry. >> All right. >> You have my support 100 per.