Between Algorithms and Feelings

The office door opens silently. Thomas looks away from the screen, where they’ve been tracking the incident keeping the Paris branch on edge. Over the past few days, they’ve received reports, proposals, and contingency plans—none of which have convinced them. When their assistant mentioned that a team lead insisted on meeting in person, they agreed to fifteen minutes, more out of curiosity than conviction. They stand to greet her with a slight nod and gesture toward the chair across from their desk. —Thanks for coming. They wait for her to sit before continuing. —I’ve read your request. You bypassed your engineering director, the VP of tech, and essentially the entire chain of command to get this meeting. You’ll understand that’s not something I can take lightly. Their tone is calm, devoid of anger but firm. —I’ve also seen your evaluations. They’re outstanding. You’ve led one of our teams for years and never done anything like this before. That tells me you must have a serious reason… or you’ve made a major misjudgment. They pause briefly before resting their forearms on the desk.