Small and big cities wake up equally early. However, in the big ones there is always more noise, more fuss. Streams of people rushing to different ends and whole rivers of people rushing to the center – to the heart of the city. If, of course, the city has a heart. Konstantin is one of those who rushed to the center. Sitting behind the wheel of his big, powerful car, he was nervous, moving through a common traffic jam several meters per minute. Every day he scolded himself for choosing a route and promised himself that next time he would take a detour or get out earlier. But every morning he didn't have enough time, and automatically, immersed in his thoughts, he drove the same way.
There was a parking space waiting for him at the office building where he worked. In his perfectly fitting suit, with a leather briefcase in his hand, he rode the elevator to one of the upper floors, pondering the main points of the upcoming meeting. He considered his main goal to make others work. He chastised his subordinates in the manner of a mentor, giving them the opportunity to improve. He also praised the staff with restraint, leaving an emotional reserve for outstanding achievements. He personally selected employees for his team. He hired obviously inexperienced employees and preferred to train them on the job. He had deep confidence that initially experienced employees with many additional competencies always come with high expectations for working conditions and pay, but they easily change the company if they receive a better offer. Those who were selected by Konstantin got used to performing a certain, limited range of duties. Over time, they became very efficient at work and remained loyal to the company that gave them the chance. Small bonuses stimulated them, literally, to generate ideas that were presented as common in the team. But for the big bosses, Konstantin passed them off as his own.
In his personal office, everything was strict and refined. Among the things that had at least some personal relation to Konstantin was an oak wooden desk, an antique clock with a pendulum on the floor and striking the beginning of the working day, as well as a carved photo frame with a picture of his wife. In this picture, Lola was standing in front of their country house in a big white hat and a tight red dress. No one knew that a whole team of makeup artists, designers, fashion designers and photographers had been invited to create this picture. This photo was part of Konstantin's image.
