The Working Girl Blogs Revision 2.0 Blog #50: Lecturing the Troops - Longest Day Ever To see all of Bobbie's Working Girl Blogs, click on this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/19261/working-girl-blogs

Bobbie, addressing the individual projects teams (one address per team), the whole morning of Wednesday, September 22:

"I'm sorry to be taking you out of your regular routines and schedules, but as I said to your bosses, I promise to only take up, at most, five minutes of your time.

"I am sure you have heard what happened to me last week. Well, I, and our company's management will not stand for such bigotry or harassment. I am officially authorized to tell you that that man who I had that altercation with was fired by the company on the same day of the incident.

"If, for whatever reason, you have problems with me, whether professional, commercial or personal, my door is open - let's work it out. Failing that, or if you would rather not talk with me, please talk with your immediate supervisor. If you do not get satisfaction, you are welcome to escalate it to higher authority.

"If you feel that you cannot work with me despite all of this, I have been authorized to tell you that Management will be open to any requests for transfer to a different branch or office, so long as there is a vacancy that you are qualified for, or you are free to seek employment elsewhere and HR will facilitate processing your paperwork, with all benefits due you.

"I am putting everyone on notice that any actions that may cause a fall-off in productivity, or sow discontent, that can be construed to have begun with any form of bigotry or harassment, shall be severely dealt with.

"As I am only authorized to take five minutes of your time, please reserve your questions. HR, our Branch Manager and myself, will be onhand after office hours to entertain your questions, or you may talk to my executive assistant at any time she is free.

"Thank you."

Bobbie in her office, handling an employee after she'd given the same speech several times to the different units and teams of the branch office

Employee (barging into Bobbie's office unannounced and unexpectedly): "So?"

Bobbie (standing, and starting to be angry): "What do you mean, 'So?'"

Employee (belligerently): "You called me."

Bobbie: "I did not call you. I asked to meet with your team, not just you."

Employee (sitting down in Bobbie's guest chair, uninvited): "same difference."

Bobbie (buzzing Sammi): "Sammi, can you please come over?"

Sammi (over the phone intercom): "Right away, Maam."

Sammi (after a few moments): "Yes, Maam?"

Bobbie (pointing at the man): "This person doesn't have an appointment, and does not want to leave my office."

Sammi (thumbing a security radio, with a short burst of static): "Security, this is Ms Cabot's executive assistant. Please send someone to Ms Cabot's office, right away, please."

Employee (surprised): "What? Assistant?"

Security (over the radio): "Acknowledged."

Employee (a little panicked): "Ummm, I think I better leave."

Bobbie: "I think you should."

Employee (very subdued): "Ummm, Maam? May I ask what the meeting was about?"

Bobbie: "Where were you when I met with your team?"

Employee (sheepish): "Ummm, I was out in the parking lot, smoking, maam. I didn't want to bother anyone with..."

Bobbie (cutting him off): "Sammi, please bring me this man's file, and have security escort him to his desk. We don't want him wasting more of the company's time."

Sammi: "Yes, Maam. Security? Cancel that call. Reception desk two, please."

Security: "Acknowledged."

Bobbie (to employee): "I'm sure your office mates can brief you. If you have any further questions, talk to Sammi."

(Sammi drags the man by the arm out of the room)

Employee (sheepishly, to Bobbie): "Ummm, sorry, maam..."

Bobbie, in her office, at the end of the day, tired to death

Wednesday was a long day, although the meeting after work was actually more relaxing than anything, as no one was being difficult, and everyone was trying to show that they were on my side and that they were not in the least bit bigoted. Seems that little "meeting" with that employee made the rounds, and, I guess, coupled with my speech, it put everyone on notice. Fear of losing job security is a great tool to create better understanding among work-mates (and, yes, I'm being sarcastic). To be fair, though, most didn't care, and many were okay with it. The few that weren't - well, like I said... job security and such...

I had a couple of meetings with my boss and HR reps before that day, plus meetings with my lawyer and my therapist, and that song-and-dance Wednesday was largely concocted by my therapist and lawyer, with prior approval of the HR people:

We had composed the speech, with several things that had the particular nuances that my lawyer wanted: "I have been authorized" etc., plus words like "Bigotry" and "harassment" thrown in, as well as making sure that arrangements were made with security to be on standby, and to be ready to have belligerent people taken care of. For the other things, like referring to Sammi as "my executive assistant" or having me deliver the speech alone, and to not smile and be totally serious for the next few days - that was my therapist's contribution (to put everyone on notice that I was someone with clout, and will not brook any screw-ups et cetera). She also insisted on keeping the door open to meet with them after work.

It was especially hard for me to keep being stern and so on, and not let it affect me. At the end of the day, I practically collapsed from the tension and the emotions that I had been keeping bottled up. It's still very... brisk in the office, except for those that consider me a friend, and, though I couldn't really express my gratitude much, maybe after a few weeks have passed, maybe I can treat them to dinner or something.

I am keeping a portable voice-activated digital recorder on all the time, as my lawyer said it would come in handy in case someone says or does something "untoward" (my lawyer says, with the "one-party consent" statutes in DC, I am legally allowed to to this). I have been saving all the voice files onto my computer, and maybe I'll buy a couple of blank disks to save them on, and keep a set in a safe deposit box.

I didn't really plan on writing all of this, but with all the concerned private messages and emails from people like Aunt Andrea, Sephy, Theide, Beth, Holly and lots n lots n lots of others, I guess I felt I had to post this, if just to assure them that I'm doin' okay... Okay? lol

But no fool I - I have three new pepper sprayers: one looks like a lipstick which I keep in my purse at all times. A regular one that I carry when I jog (or will carry, rather - my lawyer said to hold off on any further jogging for a few weeks or so, and be sure no one's stalking me or anything like that), and a non-pressurized one that I can keep in the car. And I and my room mate are not going out much, at least for now. I have a speed-button on my phone for the police, and all that. So I think I'm covered.

I won't go into the legal things (I think it's best to keep that confidential for now) but suffice it to say, I'm staying. At least for now. Changing jobs, cities, closing up my internet alter-egos etc. and going maximum stealth - those are all things to think about. But right now, it's time to regroup.

To see ALL of Bobbie's blogposts, click this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/blog/bobbie-c To see Bobbie's stories in BCTS, click this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/14775/roberta-j-cabot