Official Career Storm-Chapter 1376

The next day.

Song Guanchao came to the office and called in Director Ke and Director Yuan one after another.

Both felt displeased inside.

They thought Song Guanchao was doing it on purpose.

Just after becoming a director, he was eager to exercise his authority to the fullest.

However, they showed no sign of their displeasure on their faces and patiently listened to Song Guanchao’s instructions.

Song Guanchao assigned them a task to prepare a reasonable itinerary for Wu Qiangwei’s affairs in the coming week.

This included arranging transportation and determining which relevant department personnel needed to accompany.

Though tedious, it was not a difficult task.

Normally, half a day would be sufficient.

Song Guanchao told them to come back and report once they were done.

After they left, Song Guanchao called in Zhou Xingjian.

"Director Zhou, please contact the deputy directors of the Political and Legal Department and the Information Department and ask them to come over."

"Alright."

Zhou Xingjian felt a bit excited; it was a routine he was very familiar with.

Back when Song Guanchao had dealt with Yao Guangsong, he contacted him in advance.

Before long, the two deputy directors arrived.

One was surnamed Li, the other Guo.

Suddenly learning that Song Guanchao wanted to see them.

The two deputy directors felt puzzled, unsure of the reason, and were a bit nervous and curious.

Song Guanchao met with them, not for anything urgent but to pass on the task previously given to Director Yuan and Director Ke.

Upon receiving the task, the two immediately set to work.

Before lunch, they came one after the other, handed in their documents, and gave a brief report.

Song Guanchao glanced over the clearly listed itinerary in the document, slightly nodded, praised them a bit, and let them go back.

The two expected that Song Guanchao would arrange more work, yet he said nothing.

This left them feeling a little disappointed.

In the afternoon, with ten minutes to go before clock-out, Director Yuan and Director Ke knocked on Song Guanchao’s office door right on the clock.

However, no sound came from inside.

The two exchanged glances and continued to knock, but still received no response.

"It seems like no one’s inside."

Director Ke thought for a moment and took out his phone to call Song Guanchao.

"Director Song, where are you?"

"What is it?"

"I’ve completed the tasks you assigned this morning, and came to report to you."

"Wait a bit for me; I’ll come over when I’m done."

"When will you probably return, Director Song?"

"It might take another half hour."

"Okay."

Director Ke didn’t say much, hung up the phone, checked the time, and said: "Let’s wait."

Ten minutes later, Director Ke said, "It’s clock-out time; let’s go."

Director Yuan smiled, placed the document on the ground in front of Song Guanchao’s office door, and walked away.

Over twenty minutes later, Song Guanchao returned.

Not seeing the two, he noticed the two documents on the ground.

He hesitated for a moment, picked up the documents, flipped through them casually, then looked back toward the department.

Returning to his office, he called the two, only to be told they had clocked out.

Song Guanchao didn’t get angry or upset, simply chuckled and hung up.

The next morning, he had Zhou Xingjian notify all department directors and deputy directors in the City Government to attend a meeting in the conference room at 9:30.

Afterward, he personally went to Han Lan’s office.

"Secretary-General, there’s a meeting in the conference room at 9:30."

In Han Lan’s memory, there was no meeting scheduled for this morning.

She asked, "What meeting is this?"

Song Guanchao said, "I have discovered some colleagues in the City Government lack sufficient awareness and are not diligent in their work."

Then he briefly recounted the recent occurrences.

Han Lan was not surprised in the least: "That’s how they are."

Song Guanchao asked, "Hasn’t the Secretary-General ever considered rectifying this atmosphere?"

Han Lan shook her head: "I’m the Secretary-General; I can’t manage them."

Song Guanchao said, "That’s not right. The Secretary-General acts as the chief steward of the City Government, responsible not only for work but also for personnel management. I’ve heard people say that you have a serious attitude towards work, but it seems you’re not very clear about the scope of your duties."

Han Lan frowned slightly: "Director Song, are you trying to provoke me into action?"

Song Guanchao sighed: "I’m hoping the Secretary-General can fully leverage the authority of your position. Instead, what I see is you not being taken seriously even by a small department director."

"As a Secretary-General without authority, no matter how well you do your work, what use is it? When you need cooperation from subordinates, you find they won’t listen. If tasks you delegate aren’t carried out, is that not a dereliction of duty on your part?"

He tried to link authority with work to make her understand the importance of this matter.

For someone like her, it mattered more to relate this to her work to grab her attention.

Indeed, after his words, she appeared thoughtful.

After a while, Han Lan said, "I have matters to handle, and will attend the meeting later."

She gave no specific response to the suggestions from Song Guanchao.

As for whether her intention changed about exerting her authority, Song Guanchao was unsure.

Before the meeting began, Song Guanchao entered the conference room.

By 9:20, a group of deputy directors had arrived first.

The other directors, some arrived five minutes early, while some came exactly on time, like Director Yuan and Director Ke.

Han Lan also arrived on the dot.

But she was different as she managed her work down to the minute and second, seeing arriving early as wasting time.

Once everyone was seated, Song Guanchao announced, "From today onwards, the work of the Political and Legal Department and the Information Department will be reported to me by Director Li and Director Guo."

Everyone was stunned, especially Director Yuan and Director Ke, who widened their eyes, not understanding why he would suddenly say such a thing.

This was a blatant power grab.

No leader ever talked about such matters openly in meetings.

The two couldn’t sit still; Director Yuan said, "Director Song, the work of the Political and Legal Department, you can directly communicate with me."

Director Ke added, "All matters, big or small, in the Information Department are summarized by me. Director Li is only a deputy director and unaware of many things."

With a smile, Song Guanchao said, "I see that you two directors are quite busy, so let’s have the deputy directors help share your workload."

He picked up two pieces of documents: "For the same matters, I find that the two deputy directors managed to handle them faster than you."

The two twitched in anger, realizing that he had given the same tasks to their deputies as well.

Director Yuan explained, "The department’s work is overwhelming. I also need time for the tasks you assigned, Director Song."

"Oh, is your work overwhelming?"

With a mocking snort, Song Guanchao said, "I thought you had plenty of free time. Yesterday I asked you to wait outside my office for half an hour, yet when I returned before six, you had already left. Seems your workload isn’t so heavy after all."

"Moreover."

His expression darkened a bit, tapping his fingers on the document: "Who instructed you to leave documents on the floor by the office door? This schedule of Mayor Wu’s weekly activities is confidential government information, carelessly tossed on the ground? Did anyone else pick it up and read it while I was away?"

"Due to this irresponsible behavior of yours, we must redraft the schedule."

"If I were serious about this, I could summon the Disciplinary Committee to investigate you right now!"

"Since you treat your work with such indifference, I will decide today that you both continue as directors without reporting anything to me. Director Li and Director Guo will handle all work for the two departments."

After speaking, he looked at the other department heads: "Anyone else feeling overwhelmed with work, speak up now, and I’ll make sure you have ample free time."