"You have to be fast, and flexible. Once you've taken ownership of a company, you've got to gain immediate control over its board of directors, in order to block any and all countermoves."
"I understand."
"Do you? I'm talking about the ability to call an executive session out of the blue. The kesa stroke of the sword. The power to cut a CEO in half before he can blink. No time for consensus and the usual Japanese niceties."
He stood quietly, thinking. At last he spoke.
"In other words, I must be able to convene the board at a moment's notice. Is that the essence of what you are saying?"
"Nothing else is going to work."
"Very well. After we have a commanding stock position, we can institute the necessary changes."
"Good. Remember though, that's still merely half the battle. Besides being able to call board meetings, you need full authority to institute a shareholders' vote, which in this case will consist of nothing more than you signing your name."
"Perfectly reasonable."
"It is. But it also means you've got to be available to me at all times. Can I rely on that?"