Keller Case Resolution File

When Keller returned to Kiev, he found that Brodsky had done well, but that behind his back, Antonov had been complaining to Munich about Keller's budget and management abilities. Keller asked Häussler’s aide to come early for his next scheduled trip to Kiev in mid-May to discuss the “difficulties in his relationship with Antonov.”

He said if I thought my problems with Antonov were the main issue I still hadn’t understood anything. He told me that the people on corporate staff had been looking for an occasion to say no to me for two years, and finally they had decided to use the budget to get their message across. He reminded me about lots of incidents where I’d gotten special permission to do unusual things, or where they’d given me quick approvals without the usual detailed explanations, because I’d been able to convince them I was right. But they wanted to tell me that Königsbräu doesn’t operate that way under normal circumstances. And now that we’re back into “safe water” in the Ukraine, they’d like me to try to do things in a more “normal” way.

Von Hess said the corporation is aware of what I’ve achieved in the Ukraine, but that I can’t go on trying to be a lone ranger over here. He said they need to be more involved in what I’m doing; they don’t want to be completely lost if anything should happen to me. And they’re not sure that my second-level managers are strong enough to take over without me. It turned out that was one of the big reasons they sent me to Brazil! They wanted to see if I could really stay away, and if the others could manage. They said if I couldn’t stay out of things at that distance and being that busy, then I never would.

Von Hess had emphasized that the Vorstand was still impressed with Keller’s business judgment. However, he outlined two conditions he felt would be critical for Keller’s future advancement. First, Keller had to learn