Editor’s note: This is the 2nd chapter in Meridian Magazine’s Serialization of Jim Ferrell’s book, You and We: A Relational Rethinking of Work, Life and Leadership. To read the preface, CLICK HERE. To read the first chapter, CLICK HERE.
Chapter 2: Questions
Zane peered numbly out the window toward the west as the Sikorsky began its climb out of Alexandria. Bellweather’s campus disappeared behind them as they took a north to northwesterly path along the Potomac River. In another two minutes, the views out the windows to the east would rival any in the United States—the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Capitol Building lining up in a grand procession from one end of the National Mall to the other. Although Zane never tired of this view, it was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.
Zane had been the last to board. Two single chairs at the front left of the cabin, which faced each other as seats in trains sometimes do, had been unoccupied. He had seated himself in the one facing forward. His three colleagues had distributed themselves across the two couches against the opposite wall. Perhaps they avoided sitting in either of the chairs because they didn’t want to risk sitting eye-to-eye with their CEO. Or maybe they liked the space and uniqueness of being able to hurtle through the air on sofas. Either way, Zane was happy for 15 minutes of relative privacy.
He looked down at the envelope in his hands. PLEASE OPEN ON THE FLIGHT, it read. He turned it over and over. What a waste of my time, he thought to himself.
“You look happy to be here, Zane.”
Judy Li, Bellweather COO, was sitting on the couch directly opposite him, taunting him with a smile.
Zane conjured a smile in return. “Thrilled. You, too, I suppose, Judy?”
“I’m not too surprised,” she answered. “Cracking heads doesn’t make you a lot of friends. Especially if you’re a woman.”
“I don’t know,” Zane responded. “I rather think this was a popularity contest. But listen, there will likely be some important people in the other groups. We need to be at the top of our game.”
Judy nodded.
“Shall we?” Zane asked, lifting his envelope. They opened their envelopes, each of which contained a card with the following:
BEFORE ARRIVING, PLEASE–
A. Think of two relationships in your life: (1) one of your best; and (2) one of your worst.
B. For each relationship, list three words that describe you in that relationship.
Hmm, I’m not exactly sure where Mikél is going with this, Zane thought. Then he remembered that she had purposely remained silent about their leadership training partner. “Can’t give anyone any advantages,” she had said, coyly. “But I think it will be the most unique and powerful leadership course anyone in the company has ever experienced.”
Zane was skeptical of that. Bellweather was renowned for a proven leadership training approach that his father started, and that Dot had continued after him—one-on-one training and mentoring for every leader in the company, mid-level managers and up. Although they hadn’t quite kept up with the program over these three years of upheaval, the foundational contours were still firmly in place. He doubted anything could top what they were already doing. Scrupulous person that he was, however, he grabbed a pen to complete his prework.
The name that immediately came to mind for his best relationship was Jacob Halliday—or “Hal,” as Zane called him. Hal was Bellweather’s Chief Product Officer. Zane’s senior by five years, Hal had mentored him from Zane’s earliest days in the company. Zane’s father had personally asked Hal to take Zane under his wing. And he had. They had worked together now for almost 20 years, and Hal never once made Zane feel beneath him, even in the early days when Zane was by any measure a human fixer-upper project. By the same token, despite being the founder’s son, Zane had never lorded over Hal, even as he ascended the company ladder. They were friends. Zane would do anything for him.
Okay, what words would describe me in this relationship? Zane thought about it for a minute and decided on the following: Trusting. Grateful. Indebted.
Now for his worst relationship. This one was even more obvious. Zane’s marriage, such as it was, had been hanging by a thread for years. His wife, Laney, had recently filed for divorce and had quietly moved into her own place near Georgetown University, while Zane stayed in their historic Alexandria row house. No one else knew yet, not even their two kids, who were away at school. Zane wasn’t sure if anyone would ask for the piece of paper he was writing his words on, so he used a fictitious name—a man’s name at that—just in case the card fell into the wrong hands. Instead of Laney, he wrote “John.” The descriptive words came easily: Angry. Humiliated. Rejected.
Zane looked out the window, trying to push Laney from his mind. He knew where they were going. He just hadn’t thought he’d be part of the trip. At that moment, they were crossing into Maryland near Cabin John. They soon would be flying over the venerable Congressional Country Club. Zane was a hack golfer, but he had been invited to play Congressional twice since relocating to DC. Last time out, his lefthanded slice had actually struck a car on Persimmon Tree Road, which, unfortunately for that car and driver, paralleled the course precisely where Zane was wildly swinging.
A few minutes beyond Congressional, amid the rolling hills of Potomac, Maryland, they would arrive at their destination: a 300-acre, privately owned contemporary art museum and nature refuge called Glenstone, the brainchild of billionaire philanthropists Mitchell and Emily Rales.
Minutes later, the Sikorsky passed over the top of Glenstone’s main museum complex from the south. Zane could see a fleet of black SUVs in the preserve’s parking lot a little farther to the north. It looks like the others have arrived already, he thought to himself. Not in such grand fashion, though!
The native grasses that crowned the grounds and hills below and around them began bending and dancing wildly as they started to descend. Suddenly realizing he hadn’t acknowledged anyone on the helicopter except Judy, Zane snapped out of his internal stupor. He spun his seat around to look at Cree and Rita, who were on the couch toward the back. “Okay, people!” he said, smiling broadly. “You excited?”
“About as excited as I suspect you are, Boss,” Rita answered without returning the smile.
Zane tried to hide his dislike, both of Rita and the situation. “You kidding? This is the kind of opportunity you get only once or twice in a career. World-class thought leadership and training, stunning venue, and the opportunity to form relationships with some of the most highly placed power brokers in the country.”
“Who are you talking about?” Cree asked.
This provided an opening for Zane to share something he found intriguing about the event. “We’ll be joining two other groups here. Four people from Capitol Hill—two each from the House and the Senate, I believe, and then another four leaders from some other organization around the greater DC area.”
“The same way we were voted here?” Rita asked. “The senators were voted here? And the congresspeople? By whom?”
Zane shook his head. “I’m not sure, exactly. I’ve been asking myself the same question. Some group powerful enough—maybe with money enough—to get people’s attention, that’s what I’m thinking.”
“Sounds like agents of the Deep State,” Cree interjected.
Zane chuckled. “I hear that term a lot, Cree, but I’ve never met anyone who can point me to who they actually are.”
“Exactly,” Cree responded.
Zane laughed again. “Well, then I guess you can do some investigative work over the next couple of days, Cree. But don’t forget to make a good impression, even while you’re snooping. It will help the company if these people think well of us.”
“But why are we here?” Judy followed up. “Almost every major company in the country has at least some presence in the area. Why is Bellweather involved? Are we the ones putting it on?”
Never thinking he would have anything to do with the event, Zane hadn’t given it much thought. Mikél had driven everything. “It’ll be a good perk for the employees,” she had assured him. “And those who end up going will have the opportunity to improve their leadership in ways that may really help us.” No, Bellweather wasn’t behind this. But Zane never thought to ask Judy’s question: Why was Bellweather selected to be here? He didn’t actually know.
“No, it’s not us,” Zane answered. “We’re participants here just like everyone else.” Still puzzling over the question, he added, “Let’s make the best of it, shall we? Maybe it will be great.”
By now they had touched down, and the door opened, revealing the stairs. “Welcome to Glenstone, everyone!” came a voice from outside. “Please make your way to the entrance hall in the building straight ahead of you.”
Zane stepped to the helicopter’s open door and froze.
Below him, at the base of the stairs, stood Dot Kessler.
(c) 2025 James Ferrell
