The Master Programmer

Jason and Oliver hailed a cab and Jason told the driver to go to the club and lounge entertainment district. As they settled into the cab, their conversation shifted to work. "So," Oliver began, turning to Jason, "I heard you're working on automating the sales workflows. That true?" Jason grinned, leaning back in his seat. "Not just working on it—mastering it. Once it's up and running, we'll be saving the company seven hours a day, minimum. Imagine every employee having seven more hours to do actual work that matters! That generates results! And results generate Money! How incredible would that be?" Oliver's jaw dropped. "Seven hours? That's insane. How are you even pulling that off?" Jason shrugged nonchalantly, though his eyes sparkled with pride. "Just connecting the dots. Client details, contracts, agreements—these are repetitive tasks begging to be automated. The system's the real hero; I'm just the guy showing it the way." Oliver's eyes sparkled with interest as he observed the man before him. He had a knack for sharing ideas passionately while making them accessible to all. Perhaps there was truth in Jason's previous words... Perhaps by adopting his approach, he could achieve similar outcomes. Noticing Oliver's enthusiasm, Jason turned to him with a chuckle, "Olly, you've got to put in the work, or I just might go ahead and automate your entire job." "What?!" "Pfft hahaha~~!!" Jason gazed out the window, observing the blur of lights and the flurry of people moving by. "I didn't understand this before, but everything in life is about the value you bring to others. Providing value to others ensures they will seek you out whenever they require that value. They'll facilitate the process, making it simpler for you to deliver value. People crave value in their lives, and if you're the one providing it, they will always hold you in high esteem for it." Oliver stared at Jason, a mixture of admiration and curiosity in his gaze. "Is that the same with the automation? How much are you getting paid for this?" Jason smirked. "That's what I'll be negotiating with the CEO soon. But trust me, it's going to be worth every cent. Fat Paycheck! Fat and soft to the touch, perfect to squeeze and bite and slap and mmh~~" Oliver shook his head, laughing. "You're something else, Jason." Jason smirked. He was casually talking about sex so that he could lead the conversation to his true intentions. Jason leaned forward, his expression turning playful. "You know what else is worth every cent? Getting you laid tonight." Oliver burst out laughing, his cheeks that had freckles and warts on them flushing red. "You're crazy!" Jason winked. "Maybe. But crazy works. You should try it, Oliver. I'm serious." "Pfft, what are you saying," Oliver said turning away and waving his arm in the air. Jason stared at the man and shook his head. "You know, I've noticed something about you. You've got this raw potential. You understand people, Oliver. You have the ability to connect. But I think you're holding back. Do you ever feel like there's more you could be doing to stand out? Could you make more of an impact?" Jason began by recognizing his potential, which made him feel positive. Then, he subtly and gently started to make him question his current methods. If he continued in this manner, with a bit more effort, he would soon transform him into a subordinate. Oliver nodded, "Yeah, I guess sometimes. I feel like I could do more. I feel like there have been many opportunities that have left me. I want to do more but I'm not sure how." Jason nodded. Now that he had made Oliver understand his problem, and his pain, he was going to make him see the bad ending that he would get at the end of the day if he kept going in this direction. "I get it. I used to feel the same way. For the longest time, I thought success was just about working hard and hoping and praying that people would notice. But that's the thing. People never noticed! They did not even care to. So what if you're working? Stay in your place. Keep being useful! That was what they were saying. Disgusting!" Jason's face had twisted at this moment as he turned to Oliver. "But here's the real game changer. I learned how to read people, how to make them feel valued and how to show up as someone they can trust. Once I figured that out, everything else just clicked. And the rest is history." Jason shared a relatable story that mirrored Oliver's journey and then he positioned himself as someone who had overcome what Oliver was going through. Indeed, he possessed greater knowledge. He was superior. If Oliver wished to comprehend, he would do well to learn from whom? From Him. Oliver nodded, shaking his head. "I understand it more and more every time I see you get to work. And you keep explaining it. But I just don't get it." "No. You just don't want to get it. Or even if you got it, you might never act on it." Jason said that and then gave Oliver a gaze so intense that he could not even speak for a moment. "You need to master communication and make people feel like they belong to the winning team. Know when to listen, when to guide, and when to let them take the spotlight. If you can do these things, you will never have to chase opportunities. They will come to you." Oliver chuckled when he heard this. "See, you're doing that thing again where you oversimplify the topic. But how do you do it? Like with those methods you gave me before. They make total sense, but they can only be applied in certain moments. I need something concrete." "What you need is to be subtle but powerful. I'll make an example. Like with us for example. I see potential in you, and I want to help you tap into it. Here's the truth of the situation, the more you help others, the more they will naturally look up to you. They will want to stay close to you. That is leadership!" Jason said that with a smile on his face, making Oliver smile too. Little did Oliver consciously know that Jaosn had embedded commands into his speech. "Tap into it" and "Look up to you" were all behaviours that he wanted Oliver to embody and adopt. Slowly but surely... "Am I a leader though? Leaders are people like you. Charismatic types… I've never…" Oliver said, shaking his head. "You've never taken the time to learn," Jason said resolutely. "Remember what I said before? Life is a game. Any behaviour or set of behaviours or characteristics can be modelled and learned. You can learn to be charismatic too, Oliver. I can teach you. When you learn it the right way, you will find that the people you work with will not only respect you, but they will also want to support your success. Trust me, Olly. It takes time, but it's worth it." Jason said these words and once again clasped the man's shoulder, offering a serene smile. He had positioned himself as indispensable to the man's development, to his very existence. As vital as the sun is to a plant, or as water is to the clouds. Unfortunately, Oliver remained oblivious. Oliver turned to Jason, nodding to himself as if he had made a massive decision. "That sounds great. I'd appreciate your help." "Good. First things first though, you have to commit to seeing things differently. I will guide you, but it's up to you to take those steps. Start by observing people, what they want what they need, and how they react. After figuring this all out, we will leverage that to create an influence that will lead you in the right direction. Do we have a deal or do we have a deal?" Jason said this with a smirk, holding out his hand for a handshake and then when Oliver looked at his hand, he smiled, grabbing it and shaking hands. "Deal. I'm in." Of course, you are. Now that you are committed to the process, you will also be committed to doing what I say. That means you will be committed to me. In a totally non-homo way. "Perfect. I'm excited to see how far you'll go with this. Let's make it happen," Jason said, ending the conversation on a high note and giving him some positive reinforcement. Since Oliver was doing a good thing, he was getting a treat like the good loyal dog he was turning out to be. Oliver chuckled, and at that moment, as he stared at Jason, Jason couldn't help but imagine a tail wagging behind the man. He was something of a Rottweiler at that moment. Well, let's get started... "So now… let's run through the plan for when we get to the nightclub…"