The next morning after the team get together, Kasie couldn't stop thinking that the vibe between her and Jake had changed. It wasn't because anything changed directly now between them, there was, however, a change. She couldn't quite recall that it seemed, but Jake was, well, had been. less last night.
She hadn't expected the dinner to be anything extraordinary. Jake had been his usual self, cracking jokes and making light of everything. But somewhere in the midst of the casual banter, he'd said something.
It wasn't much—just a passing comment about one of the client's previous projects and how their brand image had been overhauled—but Kasie found herself thinking about it long after the conversation had moved on. Jake had casually mentioned that the client's most successful campaign was built on a high level of emotional connection, and not just the sale of the product. It had sounded like a throwaway line at the time, but now it kept echoing in her mind.
"Emotional connection over the product." That wasn't something she'd considered for their current pitch, and it struck her as exactly the kind of insight that could take their proposal to the next level.
Such was the case that Kasie began to understand how acutely Jake was able to think. Yes, he was a prankster, and he often appeared to be drifting along without too much of a push, but there were pearls of true genius hidden beneath that light and easygoing veneer.
Kasie knew she couldn't ignore it. The more she tried to process it, the more she confessed that she had not been giving Jake's potential much attention. His way of thinking was different from hers—he didn't get bogged down by the technicalities and logistics the way she did. He could take a step back and see the big picture in a way that she couldn't.
It was a frustrating realization. She didn't want to admit it, but he had a knack for making connections that she couldn't quite see.
The following morning, after the meeting, she got herself stuck on talking to the coffee machine, unsuccessfully trying to empty her mind. She wasn't used to feeling like this—questioning her own ideas and her own ability. She was the organiser, the one with the very best scheme drawn up to the nth decimal.
But when Jake spoke up, she could no longer deny the truth.
"I think you're overthinking it."
Kasie glanced over at him. Of course, he'd overheard her muttering to herself. He always seemed to be lurking nearby, effortlessly sliding into conversations like he'd been part of them from the beginning.
"What are you talking about? she asked, frowning as she took a sip of her coffee. The bitterness of it could not medicate enough the frustration building up inside her.
"You're worried about the presentation details. The slides, the data, the numbers... I get it. But the thing is, he paused, looking almost uncharacteristically serious for a second, "the clients aren't going to care about the little things. They'll care about the story. What you can make them feel."
Kasie blinked, surprised at how... profound that sounded. She hadn't expected Jake to be so in tune with the subtleties of a pitch. She figured out that he actually had the ability to build rapport with people, but this? This was different.
"You're saying I'm focusing on the wrong stuff? she asked, her tone more defensive than she meant it to be.
Jake raised an eyebrow. I'm only saying that the data is relevant, but it does not tell a story. People don't connect with data. They connect with the idea behind it."
Kasie stared at him for a beat. She hadn't expected that level of insight from him, not in a million years. Was it possible that Jake had more depth than she'd initially thought?
He did not appear to pay attention to her thoughts as he kept on walking, returning to his way of being. "I mean, sure, the data's cool and all, but it's the heart of the pitch that's gonna win them over. Trust me. I've seen it work before."
She looked down at the coffee in her hand, thinking about his words. Jake wasn't wrong. Not completely. It was just. hard to admit that someone like him, who seemed so carefree, could have such a good understanding of human psychology. Kasie had spent her entire career focusing on the details, the spreadsheets, the data.
She had always believed that the facts were what mattered. But now, she wasn't so sure.
"Well, I'll keep that in mind, she said, her voice less certain than usual.
Jake grinned, looking completely unconcerned as if he hadn't just completely thrown off her entire thought process. "Good. Just know, it can be the little things that matter most.
Kasie could only nod, still processing. It was not necessarily because she did not agree with him, it was just hard to understand that it is possible that someone who can appear so detached and nonchalant can actually see the things in such a lucid and incisive manner.
Later that day, during their team brainstorming session, Kasie found herself reflecting on Jake's words more than she'd like to admit. There was a struggle to let go of that initial frustration of being right, but there it was.
When it was her turn to speak, Kasie took a deep breath. She brought her slides back and away from the detail she'd been absorbed in all week. Instead, she focused on the bigger picture—the emotional connection. She wouldn't give up her meticulous planning but perhaps, perhaps just perhaps, she might begin to consider the narrative she was presenting through her data.
The more the meeting went on, the more she couldn't help but feel Jake's quiet encouragement. He didn't open his mouth, but by how the light hit the back of his eyes as she spoke, knew all she needed to know. It was an unspoken acknowledgment, a silent recognition that she had finally understood something that he had known all along.
It wasn't a big shift, but for the first time in a long time Kasie felt she was starting to look at things from the other side.