Healthier.
Not everyone welcomed Malcolm.
Some employees viewed every reform as an indictment.
A senior vice president resigned after telling colleagues:
“I’m tired of being treated like fifteen years of success were secretly wrongdoing.”
Malcolm met him before departure.
“I don't think your career is wrongdoing.”
“Then why change everything?”
“Because some systems aren't working.”
“They worked well enough to build this company.”
Malcolm nodded.
“Yes.”
“And some parts created avoidable problems.”
“Both can be true.”
The executive rolled his eyes.
“I hate that sentence.”
“So does Charles.”
That made him laugh.
He left anyway.
Fine.
Retention was not morality.
People could decide a new culture was not for them.
One year after the airport encounter, Charles and Malcolm returned to Scottsdale together.
Same airport.
Different aircraft.
N502WG had been sold as part of the fleet restructuring.
Charles complained for weeks.
“It had perfect maintenance history.”
“It had terrible utilization.”
“It had character.”
“It had depreciation.”
“You are joyless.”
“Profitable.”
They arrived on a company Challenger 350.
After landing, Malcolm slung the same gray backpack over one shoulder.
Charles noticed.
“You still own that thing?”
“It works.”
“You run a four-hundred-million-dollar company.”
“Yes.”
“Buy luggage.”
“No.”
They walked across the ramp.
A new security employee approached.
“Gentlemen, terminal is this way.”
Both stopped.
The employee gestured correctly.
No suspicion.
No complication.
Charles looked toward Malcolm.
Malcolm saw.
“Don't.”
“What?”
“You’re making symbolism.”
Charles smiled.
“Maybe.”
They walked.
Inside the terminal, Charles’s daughter Natalie waited.
She had agreed to dinner.
No business.
That was her rule.
Three minutes after sitting, Charles started discussing debt ratios.
Natalie pointed toward the door.
“One warning.”
Malcolm laughed.
Charles glared.
“You're not family.”
Natalie looked at Malcolm.
“He is tonight.”
Charles suffered.
Good.
After dinner, Natalie pulled Malcolm aside.
“Thank you.”
“For?”
“My father.”
Malcolm frowned.
“I didn't fix your father.”
“I know.”
She smiled.
“That is probably why he listens to you.”