SEO is desperate without a translator at the meeting until the cleaning lady’s daughter comes in and surprises everyone.
Alejandro Rodriguez was sweating cold as he looked at his watch for the tenth time in 5 minutes.
The official translator hadn’t arrived, and the three Japanese executives from Asia’s largest technology company were already showing clear signs of impatience in the main boardroom of Rodríguez Importaciones in downtown Mexico City.
The meeting that would define the future of their company was about to fall apart
before it even began.
Alejandro gesticulated desperately, trying to explain with signs that the translator was running late, but the increasingly cold looks of the Eastern investors made it clear that the situation was becoming an international embarrassment.
It was then that the door opened softly and a girl of about 10 years old timidly entered.
Her brown hair was tied back in a simple ponytail and she was wearing a light beige t-shirt with jeans.
He looked around the imposing room with his large, curious eyes.
“Excuse me, uncle,” he said softly, addressing Alejandro.
“Haven’t you seen my mom? She works cleaning here.
“Alejandro felt the blood rush to his head.
It was the worst time for an interruption.
“Get out of here now, girl,” Red shouted angrily.
“This is no place for children.
“But before anyone could pull her out, the girl turned to the Japanese executives and said something unexpected.
He spoke with perfect pronunciation, bowing slightly in respect.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Alejandro was speechless, as were the other Mexicans present.
The three Japanese executives, for the first time since their arrival, smiled genuinely.
The oldest, a man in his 60s named Mr. Yamamoto, responded in Japanese, and the girl followed the conversation naturally, as if it were the most normal thing to do.
“How do you speak Japanese?” Alejandro asked incredulously, watching cartoons. He replied simply,
“My mom works late here, so I wait for her.”
There is a small TV in the staff lounge that only has Japanese channels without subtitles.
“Then I began to understand the words.
Gabriela Vázquez, Alejandro’s executive secretary, whispered to the boss.
“That is impossible, Mr. Rodriguez.
Nobody learns Japanese by watching TV, but the Japanese were clearly impressed.
Mr. Yamamoto said something more complex in Japanese and the girl translated perfectly into Spanish.
He says it’s a pleasure to meet someone so young who’s interested in his culture, and he was a little hesitant.
They’ve been sending emails in Japanese for three months to test whether the company values its international partners, but they’ve never received a proper response.
Alejandro felt like the floor was slipping away from him.
Three months of lost communication, three months of wasted opportunities.
“What emails?” he asked, trying to maintain his composure.
The girl looked down in shame.
I saw some papers in the trash when I was helping my mom clean.
There were some with Japanese letters.
I read them and, well, they seemed important.
Alejandro’s face grew redder, but now it wasn’t from anger, it was from shame and despair.
For months, crucial information about the opportunity of a lifetime had been thrown away due to the sheer ignorance of his team.
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Now continuing.
“What’s your name, honey?” the doctor asked.
Patricia López, the company’s lawyer, trying to control the situation.
María Fernanda, the girl replied, but everyone calls me Fer.
“And what’s your mother’s name?” the lawyer continued.
Mrs. Carmen.
Carmen Hernández Torres.
Alejandro Rodríguez vaguely knew that name.
She was one of the cleaning staff who worked the night shift.
A quiet woman, always with her head down, whom he saw from time to time in the hallways, but who had never spoken a single word to him.
Mr. Yamamoto said something longer in Japanese and Fer translated, but this time with a more serious expression.
He’s saying that they came to Mexico specifically to find a company that understood the importance of cultural communication.
who sent those emails as evidence and who looked at Alejandro with pity in her eyes. If her company can’t even answer a simple email in Japanese, how can they trust her to import delicate products worth millions? The tension in the room was palpable.
The three Japanese men spoke to each other in low voices, clearly discussing whether they should end the meeting right there.
It was when Fer said something that surprised everyone once again.
Uncle Alejandro, may I suggest something? Alejandro was so desperate that he nodded, not believing a 10-year-old girl could save such a large business.
The Japanese highly value honesty and respect.
If you apologized for the misunderstanding and explained that you’ll be changing the way the company handles international communication, they might give you a second chance.
“Can you translate that for them?” Alejandro asked, swallowing his pride.
Fer nodded and began to speak in Japanese.
His fluency was impressive for someone so young.
Alejandro watched as the executives’ expressions gradually changed from skepticism to something resembling cautious curiosity.
Mr. Yamamoto gave a long answer and Fer translated.
He said they are willing to give it a chance, but want to see real changes.
And he hesitated.
He asked if I could help translate the contract they brought.
because it has some important cultural nuances that may have been lost in the official translation.
Dr.
Eduardo Martínez, the company’s financial director, laughed sarcastically.
Now a girl is going to review international contracts.
This is ridiculous.
But the Japanese were already extending the documents to Fer.
She examined them carefully, running her finger along the lines, as she did when she read in the staff room.
There’s a part here that’s mistranslated, he said, pointing to a paragraph.
The word they used in Spanish means temporary exclusivity, but in Japanese they wrote it as permanent exclusive society.
This could cause legal problems later.
Dr. Patricia took the document and compared it with the official translation they had.
His expression changed completely.
She’s right, the lawyer murmured.
This discrepancy could result in multi-million dollar lawsuits in the future.
The Japanese nodded in agreement, impressed by the accuracy of Fer’s observation.
It was at that moment that the door opened again and a woman in her 40s hurried in.
Her gray hair was tied back in a bun, she was wearing the company’s blue cleaning uniform, and her expression was one of pure terror when she saw her daughter in the boardroom.
“Fer, what are you doing here?” Carmen said, running toward her daughter.
“A thousand apologies, Mr. Rodríguez.
I didn’t know she had a mom.
“Okay,” Fer interrupted.
I was just helping with the translation.
Carmen stopped in the middle of the sentence, confused.
He looked around the room, noticing for the first time the tension in the atmosphere and the documents scattered on the table.
Translation, he repeated without understanding.
Doña Carmen, Alejandro said, his voice much more respectful than usual.
His daughter just saved a 20 million peso business.
Carmen blinked several times as if she couldn’t process the information.
That, that is not possible.
Fer is just a girl.
It was then that Mr. Yamamoto stood up and addressed Carmen directly, speaking in halting but understandable Spanish.
Ma’am, your daughter has an extraordinary talent.
Not only does she speak our language perfectly, but she understands cultural nuances that many professional translators ignore.
Carmen looked at her daughter as if she was seeing her for the first time.
But how? When did you learn Japanese? Mom, I always told her.
When I’m waiting for you to finish your work, I watch those Japanese cartoons on the television in the living room.
You always said it was nonsense, remember? Carmen sat heavily in a nearby chair, running her hand over her face.
Alejandro looked at the woman with new eyes.
For the first time in her five years at the company, I was truly seeing her as a person, not just another invisible employee.
“Doña Carmen,” he said, “I would like to know more about you.
“What kind of upbringing did you have?” Carmen looked down, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden attention.
“I have finished high school, Mr. Rodriguez.
“And it worked.
I also speak a little English and Spanish.
“What do you mean, a little?” asked Gabriela, the secretary.
I studied languages at night school before Fer was born.
I always liked it a lot, but after my husband left, I had to leave school to work.
Fer took his mother’s hand.
My mom speaks English very well and Spanish too.
He always helps me with my English homework.
Alejandro was beginning to realize the magnitude of what was happening.
For 50 years, he had a maid who spoke three languages cleaning his bathrooms while he paid a fortune to outside translators.
“Why did you never mention this when you were hired?” he asked.
Carmen laughed bitterly.
“Mr. Rodríguez, with all due respect, when a woman like me applies for a job as a janitor, no one asks if she speaks languages.
People just want to know if I know how to use a broom and mop.
The awkward silence that followed was interrupted by Mr. Yamamoto, who said something in Japanese to Fer.
He asks if they would like to try my mom’s English.
Translated by Fer.
They also speak English.
Before Alejandro could respond, one of the other younger Japanese executives addressed Carmen in English.
Good afternoon, Mrs.
Hernandez.
us background Carmen took a deep breath and answered in clear, fluent English.
Good afternooned English.
The Japanese looked at each other, clearly impressed.
Alejandro felt as if the floor was moving beneath his feet.
How many other talented people had I ignored over the years.
Dr.
Eduardo, the financial director, tried to regain control of the situation.
Well, this is all very interesting, but we need to focus on the contract.
Ms. Carmen, we appreciate your cooperation, but now we are going to need qualified professionals for Excuse me.
Fer interrupted with an impressive education for a girl of her age.
But the Japanese gentlemen brought other documents in Mandarin.
I also noticed when they were organizing the papers.
Mr. Yamamoto smiled and confirmed it by taking out other documents from his briefcase.
Yes, we have Chinese partners who are also interested in the Mexican market.
Do you understand Mandarin? A little bit too, Fer said modestly.
Ms. Xiaomo Ming, who works cleaning the building next door, is from China.
She taught me a few things when we met at mealtime.
Alejandro was starting to feel dizzy.
It was not possible that his company was surrounded by talents he had never noticed.
“How many people like Ms. Xiaoming work in this building?” he asked Gabriela.
I don’t know, sir, I’ve never paid attention to that.
It was Carmen who responded, “Mr. Rodriguez, only Xiaoming from China is in your building.
Miguel, who is an engineer, but works as a doorman.
Doña Rosario, who speaks German and French, but works in the kitchen.
and Don Ramón del Archivo who was previously an accountant.
That’s not possible, Dr. muttered.
Eduardo.
Yes it is, doctor, said Fer.
Don Ramón always helps me with math when I come to pick up my mom.
He says that mathematics is universal, that the language does not matter.
Alejandro stood up suddenly and began pacing.
His mind was going 1000 trying to process all that information.
5 years, he said, more for himself than for others.
5 years of paying for expensive consulting services, missing out on opportunities when I had a treasure trove of knowledge right under my nose.
Mr. Yamamoto said something in Japanese and Fer translated.
He says that in Japan there is a concept called Motainai, which means to waste something valuable.
You think your company can’t do business with someone who practices mota yai with their own employees.
The situation was becoming critical again.
Alejandro realized that not only was a contract at stake, but his entire business philosophy was being questioned.
What do I need to do? he asked Mr. Ylamamoto directly through Fer.
After a long conversation in Japanese, Fer translated, “They want to see real changes, where you promote people based on their true talent, not just their appearance or title.
And he hesitated, they want me to participate in the next meetings as a junior consultant.
“What? She’s a girl,” protested Dr. Patricia.
But Carmen surprised everyone by saying, “Fer, you can’t accept that.
You have to study, you have to be a girl.
I’m not going to let you work.
“Mom, I’m not going to stop studying,” Fer said calmly.
“But I can help out a few hours a week after school.
And only if it is to teach others as well.
It’s not fair that only I have this opportunity.
“Alejandro looked at that 10-year-old girl who was giving lessons in ethics and generosity to a room full of supposedly experienced adults.
What exactly are you proposing? he asked.
Let the company create a program where all employees can showcase their talents.
Let there be language classes for anyone who wants to learn.
Let no one be judged by the uniform they wear, but by what they know how to do.
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Continuing.
The Japanese talked among themselves for a few minutes.
When Mr. Yamamoto spoke again, his expression was serious, but hopeful.
He says that if you really make these changes, they will not only close the current contract, but they will also bring in other Asian partners to learn about the company.
But it has to be real change, not just promises.
translated Fer.
Alejandro looked around the room, saw the skepticism on Dr. Eduardo’s face, the concern on Dr. Ara Patricia’s face, the timid hope in Carmen’s eyes, and the quiet determination of a 10-year-old girl who was outsmarting all the adults present.
“Okay,” he said.
Finally, “Let’s do it, but I want to start right now.
“He turned to Gabriela.
Call Miguel down there and Doña Rosario from the kitchen and everyone else that Doña Carmen mentioned.
I want to know my own company.
Mr. Rodriguez, this is going to cause a mess.
Dr. Eduardo began.
Doctor Eduardo, Alejandro interrupted him.
With all due respect, our way of doing business almost cost us 20 million today.
I think a little bit of mess is the least we deserve.
While Gabriela went out to call the employees, Fer approached Alejandro.
Uncle Alejandro, can I make one more suggestion? Tell me, Fer.
Could you apologize to my mom for the 5 years she worked here being invisible.
She deserves it.
Alejandro looked at Carmen, whose eyes were full of tears.
For the first time in his life, he truly saw what he had done, not just to her, but to dozens of people who passed him by every day as if they were furniture.
“Mrs. Carmen,” he said, approaching, “I sincerely apologize.
Not just for today, but for the past 5 years, you deserved respect and opportunities that I never gave you.
And I promise this is going to change.
Carmen couldn’t hold back her tears.
Thank you, Mr. Rodriguez.
I just always wanted to work with dignity.
In the next few minutes, the boardroom was transformed.
Miguel, a black man in his 50s who worked as a doorman, walked in nervously, clearly not understanding why he had been called.
Doña Rosario, a Latina in her 60s, came in drying her hands on her kitchen apron.
Don Ramón, a thin man with white hair, came from the archives carrying some papers.
Alejandro looked at them with completely different eyes.
How could he have been so blind for so long? He said to his colleagues, “I called you here because I discovered today that you have talents that our company has shamefully wasted.
Miguel, is it true that you studied engineering?” Miguel was surprised.
“Yeah.
“Yes, Mr. Rodriguez, electrical engineering.
I graduated 15 years ago, but since I couldn’t find a job in the field, I ended up accepting a job as a doorman here.
“And why couldn’t I get a job?” Alejandro asked, although he already suspected the answer.
Miguel looked down.
Well, sir, I graduated from a public university, and I think some companies prefer engineers who graduated from expensive private universities or who don’t have my skin color.
The silence in the room was heavy.
Alejandro was ashamed not only of himself, but of an entire system that wasted talent because of stupid prejudices.
Doña Rosario, he continued, Doña Carmen, told me that you speak German and French.
How did Doña Rosario learn them? She smiled shyly.
Oh, Mr. Rodriguez, I was born in Colombia, the daughter of German immigrants.
I grew up speaking German at home and Spanish on the street.
I learned French at school.
I’ve always had a knack for languages.
Before coming to Mexico, I worked as a tour guide in Bogotá.
And why are you working in the kitchen? When I arrived here 10 years ago, I didn’t have the money to validate my Colombian diploma.
And well, a 60-year-old foreign woman doesn’t have many opportunities in the Mexican labor market.
Alejandro turned to Don Ramón.
And you, Don Ramón, is it true that you were an accountant? The older man adjusted his glasses.
Yes sir.
I worked as an accountant for 40 years.
I retired, but my pension wasn’t enough to live with dignity.
So I got this job in the archive to supplement my income.
You know how difficult it is for a man of my age.
Alejandro ran his hand through his hair, completely shocked.
How many stories like these existed in your company, how many in all of Mexico?
The Japanese executives watched everything in silence, clearly impressed by what they were witnessing.
Mr. Yamamoto said something in Japanese and Fer translated.
He says what’s happening here is very strange, that he’s never seen a businessman have the courage to confront his own prejudices like this in front of everyone.
Ask him what I should do now, said Alejandro.
After a conversation in Japanese, Fer translated, saying that the first step is to recognize the problem and you’ve already done that.
The second is to take concrete actions immediately.
And the third is not to give up when difficulties arise, because other people will try to prevent change.
As if summoned by Mr. Yamamoto’s words, Dr.
Eduardo intervened.
Alejandro, I understand the emotion of the moment, but we can’t make hasty decisions.
There are legal issues, company protocols, responsibilities to shareholders.
Dr.
Eduardo, Fer interrupted him politely.
May I ask you a question? The CFO looked at her condescendingly.
Can you speak up, girl? Do you think it’s riskier for the company to leverage the talent it already has or continue losing 20 million because it can’t even answer an email in Japanese? Dr.
Eduardo turned red, clearly annoyed at being questioned by a 10-year-old girl.
That’s different.
It was a one-off misunderstanding.
“Really?” Fer asked with an innocence that cut like a razor.
How many other similar misunderstandings have happened without you knowing about it? Alejandro looked at Dr.
Eduardo with an expression the CFO had never seen before.
Dr.
Eduardo, how many international opportunities have we missed in recent years due to communication problems? I mean, that’s not relevant here.
Yes, Alejandro insisted.
Fer, could you ask the Japanese if they know of any other Mexican companies that have lost business due to these kinds of problems? After a conversation in Japanese, Fer sadly translated.
They said it happens a lot, that many Mexican companies miss out on opportunities because they don’t understand that cultural communication is just as important as price and quality.
and that he doubted that this is why many Asian companies prefer to do business with American or European companies, even if they are more expensive.
The weight of that revelation fell on the room like a bomb.
Alejandro understood that it wasn’t just his company that was losing, it was the entire country.
Don Ramón, Alejandro said, as an experienced accountant, can you tell me how much a company loses each year in lost opportunities? Don Ramón adjusted his glasses and thought for a moment, “Mr. Rodríguez, that’s impossible to calculate exactly because we don’t know how many opportunities we’ve
lost.
But if a company misses out on a 20 million opportunity due to communication, how many smaller opportunities does it miss out on every day? Thousands, maybe.
The math was brutally simple and painful.
Miguel, Alejandro continued.
As an engineer, what kind of improvements do you see we could make to our communications infrastructure? Miguel brightened for the first time since he entered the room.
Mr. Rodriguez, I’ve been observing things for 5 years working at the entrance.
I see so many people come here and leave frustrated because no one speaks their language.
I see how many important documents arrive in the mail and get lost because no one understands what is written.
It would be easy to create a better system.
And Doña Rosario, Alejandro, as an experienced tour guide, asked, what improvements would you suggest for welcoming international visitors? Doña Rosario straightened proudly for the first time in years.
Mr. Rodriguez, a foreign visitor can tell within 5 minutes whether a company respects other cultures.
It’s not just the language, it’s the way we greet, the way we serve coffee, the way we organize meetings.
All of that counts.
Alejandro looked around the room and saw something he had never seen before.
A team, not a rigid hierarchy of bosses and subordinates, but people with complementary talents who could work together.
Fer said, translate the following into Japanese, I accept your proposal.
I’m going to completely restructure the way this company works, and I want you to witness this transformation.
As Fer translated, Alejandro continued, “Miguel, I want you to take over the leadership of the new infrastructure and international communications department.
Doña Rosario, I want you to be our cultural relations coordinator.
Don Ramón, I need you to audit all of our financial processes to identify other losses we have due to inefficiency.
The expressions of shock on the faces of the three employees were indescribable.
Dr. Eduardo looked like he was going to have a heart attack.
Alejandro, you can’t do this.
This is not how you run a business.
Dr.
Eduardo, Alejandro said calmly, how do you run a company? Ignoring talent, wasting opportunities, paying fortunes to external consultants while having specialists clean our bathrooms? But they don’t have the necessary formal qualifications.
“What formal qualification?” Carmen interrupted, speaking for the first time since the other employees arrived.
Are you formally qualified to ignore competent people? Do you have a diploma in wasting talent? The silence that followed was broken by laughter.
Surprisingly, it was Mr. Yamamoto who was laughing.
Fer translated, saying that in his 40-year career, he’d never seen a business meeting like this, and that if you really make these changes, they’d not only close the current contract, but would recommend the company to all their Asian partners.
But there are conditions, Fer continued after Mr. Yamamoto spoke further.
They want to monitor progress, they want to see monthly reports on how it’s working, and they want me to continue as a junior consultant to ensure that cultural communication continues to be respected.
Alejandro looked at Carmen.
Doña Carmen, what do you think? Carmen looked at her daughter, who was anxiously awaiting her answer.
I think I believe Fer has a gift and it would be selfish of me to prevent him from using it to help others.
But she’s still a child.
School always comes first.
Obviously, Alejandro agreed, just a few hours a week after school and with pedagogical follow-up to ensure it was an educational experience, not child labor.
Dr. Patricia, who had remained silent for a while, finally spoke.
From a legal point of view, it is viable.
We can structure it as an educational cultural exchange program.
Fer would be a junior ambassador for international communications, without a job title or responsibilities inappropriate for her age.
And I want to propose something else, Fer said, that the program be open to other children.
There are also many children who know languages or would like to learn.
We could create a little language school here at the company, where children teach what they know and learn new things.
The idea was brilliant.
Alejandro immediately saw the possibilities.
Children of employees developing skills, the company becoming a center for cultural exchange, employees from all areas interacting and learning from each other.
“This could work,” his mind murmured, already full of possibilities.
Dr. Eduardo made one last attempt.
“Alejandro, I implore you to think carefully about this.
Changes like this can completely destabilize the company.
“What if it goes wrong?” Alejandro looked at him and for the first time truly saw who Dr. Eduardo was.
A man afraid of change, clinging to a system that worked for some but excluded many.
Dr.
Eduardo, what if it all works out? What if we discover we have a much stronger company than we imagined? What if we stop wasting the talent that’s right in front of us? It was Don Ramón who gave the closing argument.
Mr. Rodriguez, with all due respect to Dr.
Eduardo, but in my experience as an accountant, companies that don’t adapt fall behind.
And from what I see here today, you are not taking any risks.
You are finally starting to use the resources you always had.
The Japanese talked among themselves for a few more minutes.
When they stopped, Mr. Yamamoto stood up and extended his hand toward Alejandro.
“Do you want to close the deal now?” Fer translated with a smile, adding that he’d bring other Japanese businesspeople to learn about the company’s new way of working.
Alejandro shook Mr. Yamamoto’s hand, feeling that he was not just closing a deal, but also beginning a new era.
“Fer, ask him when we can start.
After a brief conversation in Japanese, Fer translated, “He says he wants to see the first reports in a month and that it sounded mischievous, that he wants to see if Don Miguel can really improve the company’s communications infrastructure.
“Miguel stood up proudly.
“Can you count on me? I’ll deliver a complete restructuring project in a week, and I can begin training the front desk on different cultural protocols,” Ms. Rosario added.
Each country has its own particularities, and I will review all international contracts from the last five years, said Don Ramón.
I’d bet there are more hidden translation problems.
Alejandro looked around the room and had a revelation.
For the first time in 20 years of business, I wasn’t managing employees, I was leading a team.
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Now, moving on.
Three weeks later, Rodríguez Importaciones was unrecognizable.
Miguel had installed a simultaneous translation system in the main meeting rooms, in addition to creating a database with cultural information on different countries.
Doña Rosario had trained the entire reception staff on how to welcome visitors of different nationalities, and even the cafeteria menu was adapted to include options from different cultures.
Don Ramón not only found other translation errors in old contracts, but also discovered that the company had been losing money for years by failing to understand time zone differences in international communications.
Carmen was promoted to coordinator of the new international communications department and was radiant wearing her first professional suit in eight years.
But it was Fer who brought the most unexpected surprise.
“Uncle Alejandro,” she said one Thursday afternoon as she walked into his office after school.
“I need to tell you something important.
“Alejandro looked up from the papers he was reviewing.
In recent weeks, he had learned to pay his full attention when Fer spoke with that serious expression.
“What’s up, Fer? Do you remember Mr. Yamamoto?” he called this morning.
And what did he say? That there’s a very large Chinese company that wants to learn about our company.
But he hesitated, there is a problem.
Alejandro felt his heart race.
They had worked so hard in recent weeks.
What’s the problem? Do you want to have a women-only meeting? Alejandro blinked in confusion.
What do you mean? It’s their culture, Uncle Alejandro.
It is a Chinese company that only has female executives.
They insist on doing business only with companies that respect and value women in leadership positions.
Alejandro looked around his company with new eyes.
Dr. Patricia was the only woman in an executive position.
Carmen had just been promoted, but she still had no experience in high-level international meetings.
“And what do you suggest?” he asked, already suspecting the answer.
That the meeting be led by Dr. Patricia, with my mother as communications coordinator, Mrs. Rosario as cultural consultant, and me as translator.
The idea was both terrifying and brilliant.
Alejandro had never allowed an international meeting to be led by women, not out of conscious machismo, but because he always assumed that he should be present at all important decisions.
“I would stay out,” he asked.
“No, completely.
You would be available for consultations, but not in the room.
They want to see how the company works when women have real autonomy.
Alejandro ran his hand through his hair.
It was another test.
I noticed it.
And an opportunity to demonstrate that the changes in the company were real, not just superficial.
When is the meeting? Next week.
Friday.
Alejandro thought for a moment.
Dr. Patricia was extremely competent.
He knew all the legal aspects of the company.
Carmen had proven to be a natural coordinator.
Doña Rosario understood cultural nuances better than any outside consultant.
And Fer, well, Fer had already proven his abilities.
Okay, he said finally, but I want full preparation.
I want them to have access to all the documents, all the information, all the support they need.
Fer smiled.
Thanks, Uncle Alejandro, but there’s something else.
What else? Dr. Eduardo said he won’t cooperate, that this is exaggerated feminism and that it will destroy the company’s credibility.
Alejandro sighed.
Dr.
Eduardo had become increasingly resistant to change, questioning every new initiative, every promotion based on merit rather than seniority.
“And what do you think we should do? I think maybe Dr. Eduardo needs a vacation,” Fer said diplomatically.
At least until after the meeting.
Alejandro laughed.
The wisdom of that 10-year-old girl continued to surprise him.
You’re right.
I’ll suggest you take a vacation the week of the meeting.
On Friday morning, Alejandro watched from his office as four women prepared for the most important meeting since the company’s transformation.
Dr. Patricia looked elegant and confident in her navy blue suit.
Carmen, who had lost 10 kg of stress in recent weeks and gained a confidence Alejandro had never seen before, looked impeccable in her gray suit.
Doña Rosario, radiant at 60, wore a professional dress that highlighted her posture, worthy of someone who had been an international tour guide.
And Fer, tiny among the three adult women, wore a white blouse and navy blue skirt, looking like a miniature executive.
The Chinese executives arrived punctually at 10.
They were three women in their 40s and 50s, all dressed in dark suits, all with serious but not hostile expressions.
Alejandro saw them being received by Doña Rosario, who greeted them in Mandarin and led them to the meeting room.
For the next two hours, Alejandro sat in his office trying to work, but unable to concentrate.
From time to time he heard laughter coming from the boardroom, which he took as a good sign.
When the Chinese women finally came out, Alejandro saw that they were all smiling.
Fer appeared at the door of his office 15 minutes later.
“How did it go?” he asked anxiously.
“We closed the contract,” Fer said simply.
25 million, five million more than they had initially planned.
Alejandro almost fell off his chair.
How did they do it? Dr. Patricia is very good at negotiating, and they were impressed when they discovered that my mother also speaks basic Chinese and that Doña Rosario knows the history of Chinese immigration in Mexico better than many teachers.
“Does your mom speak Chinese?” Alejandro asked, still processing a little.
Over the past few weeks, she has been learning from Ms. Xiaoming how to better communicate with Chinese employees working in nearby buildings.
Alejandro shook his head in wonder.
Carmen continued to surprise us with her dedication to learning and growing.
“And what else happened? They offered me something I wasn’t expecting,” Fer said, his expression turning serious.
They want our company to be their official representative throughout Latin America.
Alejandro felt like the world was spinning around him.
Being an official representative for all of Latin America meant turning your medium-sized company into one of the largest in the sector.
“This is, this is huge,” Fer concluded.
“But there are conditions.
“Of course there are,” sighed Alejandro.
Which ones? Do they want the company to continue changing? Do they want to see more people promoted based on their true talent? Do they want other employees to have opportunities to grow, and they hesitate.
They want Dr.
Eduardo be replaced.
Alejandro was not surprised.
Dr.
Eduardo had become a symbol of resistance to change.
They said it directly, didn’t they? But they asked if all the executives were committed to the new philosophy.
When I said there was still internal resistance, they made it clear that it would be a problem.
Alejandro nodded slowly.
It was a difficult decision, but Dr.
Eduardo had chosen his side in the transformation of the company.
And who did they suggest to replace him? No one yet, but I have an idea.
Which one? Don Ramón is an experienced accountant, knows the company better than anyone, and in recent weeks he’s shown that he understands finance as much as Dr. Eduardo, but without the prejudices.
Alejandro considered the suggestion.
Don Ramón had indeed stood out by finding efficiencies that Dr.
Eduardo ignored it for years and proposed creative solutions to old problems.
Do you think he’d accept? I think he deserves the chance to prove himself, Fer said.
And I believe you deserve a company where everyone works toward the same goal.
Two weeks later, Alejandro was in his office, observing the company through the windows.
Don Ramón, now the financial director, was meeting with Miguel and Doña Rosario, planning the infrastructure necessary for Latin American expansion.
Carmen coordinated a five-person team in the new international communications department, including two children of employees who had shown talent for languages.
Dr. Patricia assumed the role of
executive director for Latin America, radiant with excitement about the new challenges.
Dr.
Eduardo was transferred to a consulting position at another company in the group where his traditional skills were a better fit.
and Fer, Fer was still Fer.
Three afternoons a week after school, I would arrive at the company and spend two hours in the new cultural exchange center created in the old warehouse.
There he taught basic Japanese to interested employees while learning French with Mrs. Rosario and basic programming with Miguel.
But most importantly, he had inspired other children.
The center now accommodated 15 children between the ages of 8 and 16, children of employees of several local companies, creating a small laboratory for cultural exchange that attracted the attention of universities and other companies.
Alejandro was interrupted in his thoughts by a knock at the door.
It was Fer, as always after school.
Uncle Alejandro, can I tell you something new? Of course, Fer.
What happened now? Mr. Yamamoto called again.
He said that news about our company reached Japan.
There’s a Japanese magazine that wants to do a feature on companies that value hidden talents.
Alejandro smiled.
Over the past two months, I’d received calls from journalists, business consultants, and even university professors interested in studying the transformation of Rodríguez Importaciones.
And what did you tell him? That it would be an honor, but the report couldn’t be just about you.
It has to include everyone’s story: Miguel’s, Doña Rosario’s, Don Ramón’s, my mom’s, and all the people who always had talent but never had the opportunity.
Alejandro looked at that 10-year-old girl who had changed his life and his company and realized he had learned more from her than in all his years of college and business courses.
Fer, can I ask you a question? Sure.
How did you know all this was going to work? How can a 10-year-old girl see things that experienced adults can’t? Fer thought for a moment before answering.
I think it’s because children aren’t afraid to tell the truth, Uncle Alejandro.
Adults are sometimes afraid of hurting or causing trouble or seeming uninformed, but children say what they see.
And what did you see? I saw that many intelligent people were being wasted, and that saddened me.
My mom is very smart, but everyone treated her like she was just a cleaning lady.
Miguel knows a lot about engineering, but everyone ignored him.
Doña Rosario has traveled all over the world, but everyone thought she only knew how to make coffee.
Alejandro nodded in understanding.
And you thought you could change that? I didn’t know if I could change it, but I knew I had to try, because if we don’t try, nothing ever changes.
The simplicity and depth of the answer left Alejandro silent for a moment.
“Fer, do you have plans for the future? What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to be a diplomat,” she said without hesitation.
I want to work so that people from different countries understand each other better.
And I want companies around the world to learn that talent has no color, no accent, no age.
Do you think you’ll make it? Fer smiled with the serene confidence of someone who had already seen impossible changes happen.
I believe that if a 10-year-old girl can convince a stubborn businessman to turn an entire company around, she can achieve anything.
Alejandro laughed, nodding completely.
Six months later, Rodríguez Importaciones had become the main representative of Asian companies in Latin America.
Miguel had patented a multilingual communication system that was sold to other companies.
Doña Rosario had written a cultural protocol manual that became a reference in business schools.
Don Ramón had discovered efficiencies that increased the company’s profits by 30%.
Carmen had been promoted to regional director of international communications, overseeing operations in five countries and Fer.
Fer had received scholarships from three different universities on the condition that he continue developing his cultural exchange projects.
But perhaps the most important change was the least visible.
The company had become a place where employees at all levels felt valued, where talents were discovered and developed, where diversity was seen as a competitive advantage rather than a problem to be managed.
One Monday morning, Alejandro was walking through the hallways when he overheard a conversation between two cleaning staff.
One taught the other Arabic words, explaining that she had grown up in Morocco before immigrating to Mexico.
Alejandro stopped and listened for a moment, smiling.
I had learned to pay attention to conversations I had previously completely ignored.
He approached the two women.
Excuse me, he said politely.
Could you teach me some Arabic words too? The two women looked at each other, surprised but pleased.
There was the CEO of the company asking to learn from them.
While learning his first greetings in Arabic, Alejandro thought about how his life had changed, not only professionally, but personally.
He had discovered that listening to people he had previously ignored was infinitely more rewarding than talking to expensive consultants who only confirmed what he already thought.
I had learned that diversity was not just a buzzword, but a real source of innovation and growth.
He had discovered that promoting people based on real talent, rather than appearances or connections, created a stronger and more profitable company.
But mostly he had learned that a 10-year-old girl could have more wisdom about leadership than he had accumulated in 20 years of career.
That afternoon, as always, Fer showed up after school.
This time he brought something different.
Uncle Alejandro, can I show you something? Sure, Fer.
She took a notebook full of notes out of her backpack.
I’m writing a book.
A book about what? About how companies can discover hidden talents.
On how children can teach adults.
about how seemingly impossible changes can happen when people are honest with each other.
Alejandro looked through the notebook, impressed by the organization and depth of Fer’s ideas.
This is incredible, Fer.
Do you want to publish it? I want other companies to read it and make changes.
I also want other children to see that they can make a difference, and I want other adults to stop being afraid of learning from people who are different.
Alejandro looked at that extraordinary girl and had an idea.
Fer, how about our company fund the publication of your book and we create a program to distribute it to other businesses, schools, and universities? Fer’s eyes lit up.
That would be amazing, but there has to be a condition.
Which one? Half of
the book’s profits should go to a scholarship fund for children of company employees—not just ours, but any company that wants to participate.
Alejandro smiled.
Even when receiving personal opportunities, Fer thought about how to benefit others.
“Deal,” he said, extending his hand.
“I will know.
“Partners,” Fer replied, shaking his hand with the seriousness of someone who had already closed multi-million dollar deals.
A year later, the book How a 10-Year-Old Girl Changed a Company had sold more than 100,000 copies in Mexico and was being translated into Japanese, Chinese, English, and Spanish.
The scholarship fund had already benefited more than 200 children, but more important than the sales were the stories that came in every day from companies implementing similar changes, discovering hidden talents in their own employees and creating more inclusive and productive environments.
Alejandro,
now recognized as one of the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs, was constantly invited to conferences, but he never accepted an invitation without including Fer, Carmen, Miguel, Doña Rosario, and Don Ramón in the program.
It wasn’t a CO who changed this company, he always said.
She was a brave girl who had the honesty to tell the truth and a group of talented people who finally received the opportunity they always deserved.
One Tuesday afternoon, exactly two years after that meeting that had changed everything, Alejandro was in his office when Fer walked in with a different expression.
She was taller, more mature, but she retained the same seriousness as always.
Uncle Alejandro, I need to tell you something important.
What’s up, Fer? I received an offer to study in Japan, an international school that trains young diplomats.
They read my book and want me to participate in a special program.
Alejandro felt a pang in his chest.
He had grown accustomed to Fer’s daily presence at the company with his ideas and his precocious wisdom.
“And you want to go?” “I do,” she said honestly.
But only if I’m sure the company will continue to grow without me, and only if my mom agrees.
And what did your mom say? That the decision was mine, that she’s proud of what I’ve accomplished, but that the most important thing is that I be happy and keep learning.
Alejandro nodded, understanding Carmen’s wisdom.
Fer, from the first day you walked into this room, you taught me things I’d never learned anywhere else.
You changed not only this company, but hundreds of others through your book.
you deserve all the opportunities in the world.
Thank you, Uncle Alejandro, but I want to make a proposal.
Which? That the Cultural Exchange Center continues to operate, that other children have the opportunity to learn and teach, and that when I graduate as a diplomat, I return to work with Mexican companies and improve international relations.
It’s a promise.
It’s a promise.
Three months later, Alejandro was at the airport saying goodbye to Fer and Carmen.
The 12-year-old girl who had saved her company was leaving to become an international diplomat, but she had promised to return to continue transforming the Mexican business world.
As the plane took off, Alejandro thought about all the changes that had occurred.
His company was now one of the most respected in Latin America.
Hundreds of employees had been promoted on the basis of real merit.
Dozens of children had discovered talents thanks to the cultural exchange center, but above all, they had learned that true leadership was not about commanding, but about discovering and developing the potential within each person.
Five years later, Fer returned to Mexico as the youngest cultural diplomat in the country’s history.
His first official mission was to create a national cultural exchange program between businesses, schools, and communities.
Alejandro, now president of an organization that brings together more than 500 companies committed to inclusion and talent development, worked closely with her on this project.
On the day of the program’s official opening, Alejandro was on stage alongside Fer, now an eloquent and confident 17-year-old, but who retained the same generous and wise essence she had when she was 10.
When I first met Fer, Alejandro told an audience of more than 1,000 businesspeople, she was just a little girl looking for her mom.
Today she is an internationally recognized diplomat, but the truth is that she has always been extraordinary.
I was just lucky enough to learn to see it.
Fer approached the microphone.
What happened at my uncle Alejandro’s company can happen anywhere—at any school, any business, any community—because there are talented people everywhere waiting to be discovered.
There are children with ideas that can surprise adults.
There are humble employees who hold immeasurable wisdom.
She looked at Alejandro and smiled.
We just need the courage to listen, the honesty to admit when we’re wrong, and the generosity to give opportunities to those who deserve them, regardless of their appearance, age, or social standing.
The audience burst into applause.
Alejandro looked around and saw Carmen, now the national director of international communications; Miguel, who had founded his own technology company; Doña Rosario, who had become a cultural consultant for multinationals; and Don Ramón, who at 70 was more active and fulfilled than ever as a financial advisor to several companies.
They had all grown, evolved, and reached potentials that had been hidden for years.
But they were all still the same generous, hard-working people they had always been.
That night, at the celebration party, Alejandro approached Fer.
Fer, can I ask you a question? Of course, Uncle Alejandro.
Do you regret anything? Do you regret having changed your life, having taken on so many responsibilities so young? Fer thought for a moment before answering.
I regret only one thing.
“What? That it took me so long to get into that boardroom,” she said, laughing.
Imagine how many other companies could have changed if I had spoken up sooner.
Alejandro laughed too, embracing that extraordinary young woman, who had started out as a lost child, searching for her mother, and had become one of the most influential people in his life.
Thank you, Fer, for everything.
Thank you, Uncle Alejandro, for listening to a little girl, for having the courage to change, for showing that it’s never too late to discover that we can always be better.
As the party continued around him, Alejandro looked out the windows at Mexico City, stretching to the horizon.
Somewhere out there were thousands of companies, millions of employees, hundreds of thousands of children with potential waiting to be discovered.
Thanks to a 10-year-old girl who had the courage to speak Japanese in a boardroom, this world was a little closer to being a place where all talents could shine.
End of story.
Now tell me, what did you think of this story of transformation and overcoming? Do you think companies can change like this in real life? Leave your comment sharing your opinion and where you’re watching from.
