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A Financial Services scenario with a QUEENLY twist

THE CAST:

Regina (Patti), the female boss - MBA, CL U, CFP. Older. She has a slight mustache/mole and she is an extremely type A personality, task /results oriented. She has developed excellent work skills, but not managerial skills. Regina wants sales/numbers, wants to get tasks done, and she is never wrong. She expects her staff to read her mind and gets upset when they do not anticipate

, her requests. She also wants staff to develop her staff professionally, so the customer gets a better experience. She gives Christmas gifts to her client. Regina is clueless that everyone hates her and thinks that things are good at the office. Regina has worked there for 20 years. Regina always wears a female power suit to let her staff know that she is the boss. She is an excellent sales woman, but has zero interpersonal and managerial skills with staff. She is typically one of the top 2 in sales in the firm each year. She pays for training, staff improvement sessions, and visits to home office (in the Midwest).

Catherine (Jen) , the administrative assistant- she is young and has a strong educational background. This is her first job out of school so she's looking to gain experience in finance and work her way into a better opportunity. She is willing to pay her dues,but she is a part of Generation X and she is also looking for life balance. She wants to please Regina, her boss, but just doesn't know how to read her mind. Catherine has worked there for six months.

Elizabeth (Liz), the analyst - CFP, Masters in COMM. Works part-time as a financial analyst! planner and has been in this job for 3 years. She works 8-2 each weekday, gets paid very well, and is a great negotiator. She negotiated the month of July off (no pay). Needed a good income and wanted to be able to be at home with her kids - she is able to put the kids on the school bus and is there to pick them up at the bus stop after school.

PLAY SETTING

- The play will have a "The Office" style, where the cast stops interaction for a few seconds to talk to the "camera" (the audience) about what they are thinking in "real time." This will give the audience insight into the characters' minds.

- The play will include non-verbal communication such as facial gestures (rolling eyes, sighing), body language, etc.

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CONTEXT

Office environment - Professional office, no casual dress allowed. The staff turnover has been exorbitant: 25 administrative people have left within a period in 3 years, most of them in

tears. The office size is 3-4 people: The boss, an analyst and one to two others in admininstration or sales. The staff is mainly female.

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Regina, the supervisor, derides the entire staff at the office, but especially Catherine, her subordinate. Regina resents Catherine because she is a young professional who has a positive attitude towards life. Regina believes that Catherine is a naive woman who thinks that she is going to move up the corporate ladder fast because of her fluffy attitude and sweetness. It has taken a long time (20 years) to arrive ather current position. She is in the top five sales people in the region, but she worked hard for everything she's earned. She did not advance for being sweet and cute but by being the best and by going above and beyond expectations. She paid. her dues and believes that Catherine should do the same before moving up in her career.

In general, Regina thinks that Catherine's generation has had everything handed to them and they don't have strong work ethics. Regina sees Catherine glued to her phone during her lunch break, texting and watching You Tube videos during office hours. Regina thinks this is a waste of time and watching Catherine only confirms the poor opinion she already has about her. Regina is always the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave. She can't believe Catherine arrives only five minutes before her normal schedule and that sometimes has to go to the doctor during regular working hours, though Catherine is pregnant. Regina thinks that Catherine does not take her job seriously and therefore will not assign her important projects.

Four months ago, Catherine took the initiative to ask Regina for additional projects. Regina started to give her lots of menial tasks, typically unrelated to her job position. Catherine is now starting to get frustrated and is not sure how to handle the situation. When Catherine started the job she thought that is she pitched in and was a team player, Regina would realize her value and would assign her more important roles within the company. Catherine is not sure if Regina will ever give her a chance to use her talents.

Since Catherine is pregnant, she has to see her doctor on a regular basis. Every month, she typically takes off a couple of hours to see the doctor. Since the company gives her two personal days as part of her benefits package, she believes she is entitled to use them whenever she wants. She does not ask permission to go to the doctor; instead, Catherine merely informs Regina she will be leaving early. Regina feels Catherine does not understand office hierarchy by informing instead of asking.

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CONFLICT

The conflict is between Regina, the-supervisor; and Catherine, the subordinate.

It is a Friday afternoon and Regina is exasperated that Catherine is going to see the doctor again. Regina had asked Catherine several times to complete data entry to generate labels for the client gifts=calendars with Regina's picture on them. The 2010 calendars need to be sent out immediately because it is already April and the calendars should have gone out no later than December 2009. Regina thinks that sending the calendars late is going to tarnish her spotless

. image with her clients.

On one hand, Regina blames Catherine for the calendars. She thinks Catherine is incompetent and can't get things done right unless she monitors her constantly. On the other hand, Catherine is eager to finish a very boring task that has been dragging since December of the previous year. Each year, Regina culls her client list before sending the calendars. Catherine has to wait for Regina to refine her client list before she can print labels and send calendar. Since Regina does not share information with anyone, Catherine's hands are tied until Regina determines who isand who is not-getting a calendar with her picture.

Regina, a control freak, wants to be everywhere and does not focus on finishing the tasks she starts. She does not remember she has to finish the list and blames Catherine. Catherine reminds the Regina she is waiting for the final list. Regina continues to blame Catherine for not reminding her about the calendars until it's almost too late to send them out. Regina always fmds a way to blame others and believes everyone in the office has communication issues=except herself.

RESOLUTION

Catherine and Elizabeth - Elizabeth deals with social construction of reality: "What is this job all about?" with Catherine. The dialogue includes expectations about the the job as well as social learning how to manage a difficult boss. The characters talk about use and abuse of power (critical theory). Catherine asks, "How long do I have to pay my dues?' (Generational differences).

Elizabeth is an information peer co-worker who helps Catherine to manage a difficult supervisor, Due to her tense relationship with Regina, Catherine has developed a constrained special friend relationship with Elizabeth.

The last line of the play/scenario will be an ambiguous resolution. After each actor delivers her version ofthe office environment, the three actors will stand simultaneously and say, "We need

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to talk". The ambiguous ending allows the audience to participate in a discussion about the social construction of reality for Regina, Catherine, Elizabeth individually and collectively.

ACT ONE:

Three chairs in the center of the room, facing audience. Catherine sits stage left, Regina is center stage (of course), and Elizabeth sits stage right.

Regina's monologue is first, followed by Catherine's, then Liz's:

REGINA: the supervisor: Love my job. Love it, love it, love it. It's why I get up every day, ya know? And I'm paid to do it! Doesn't get any better than that, does it? I've been a VP of Finance

for 10 years, and have worked in the industry for 20, starting as analyst and working hard to get ?

where I am now. Love my clients, too. They're loyal and I'd do anything for them. I can't complain--well, a a little bit, perhaps. This is a tough industry, especially within the last couple

of years with all the fallout. I lost 25 sales and administrative people in 3 years. Unbelievable. It

takes a tough, smart cookie to stay in this business, and, unfortunately, so many of these kids

coming out of school just don't seem to be willing to do what it takes to get the job done. They

don't seem to have a lot of internal discipline and external organization. They want the high

salaries and the benefits but they don't seem to "gef'the long hours and the sacrifices that go

with the perks. It's hard to train these people. I worked my fanny off for everything I've earned

but these Gen Xers seem to want it all without being willing to work for it. It's frustrating .. .I

want my new people to succeed but I'm not going to spoon feed them, and that's what they seem

to need. I don't have time. I do use a lot of my resources to send my staff to conferences and

seminars. There's no dearth of training in my office. I give a lot to my staff and I think the results

show in my number ofloyal clients over subsequent, successive years.

CATHERINE: the admin: Catherine: Hi, my name is Catherine. I am a 2009 college graduate of Carolina. Go Heels! I got married right out of college and oops, pregnant! As you can see. Since this is my first "real job" out of college, I am ready to get my feet wet and learn what the financial industry has to offer. I just started working here 6 months ago, so I am still in that work honeymoon stage where everything is new and exciting - well, exciting may be a strong word. However, I am eager to learn and would love to have a mentor in the industry that can help guide me along my career path. Perhaps even how to manage work-life balance. However, I don't think 'I will find it here. My boss, Regina, is a nightmare!

She gives me menial tasks that are just stupid. I mean, .I understand that I have to pay my dues, but I feel that 6 months is long enough. Right? I don't think I need to work here for years to understand how to get someone coffee or make copies. Seriously. I majored in finance and plan

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on going back to school (and keep working) when my child is born. I want a career but I need some sort of guidance. What happened to women helping each other?l?

I feel like Regina thinks I am incompetent and can't manage my responsibilities. But I am a multi-tasker. (phone buzzes - I check my text). See, I can talk to you and respond back to my friend!

ELIZABETH (Liz): tire analyst- I've been working here for 3 years. It's a great job and a terrible one at the same time. Ever the optimist, let me start with what is good: I have been in financial services for a number of years, but as a single Mom with 3 kids, things were so crazy that I needed to just work part-time. I feel fortunate to have found a flexible job where I can work 8-2 each day (that way I can put my kids on the bus in the morning, and meet them at the bus stop at the end of the school day). I work for Regina as a financial planner, which has been good professionally as I get to keep up with my licenses and skills. I get paid very well, and negotiated with Regina to take the month of July off without pay. So, in many ways, this job. works for me. However, working with Regina is like being in combat. Since I've been here, 25 people have either quit or left. Imagine, 25 (1) administrative and sales associates in this 3 or 4 person office (depending on what Regina's management philosophy and business plan de jour is) leaving in 3 years. If that doesn't tell you how difficult Regina is to work for, I can't imagine you've got an imagination. It's funny, she's never rude, doesn't raise her voice, never curses, and yet is a terror! I think why it's so bad is that when you work with her, the work world

is ... skewed. It's like Alice in Wonderland (3d?).

Anyway, the latest is that Regina wants to send out custom printed calendars to her favored clients and prospects. These calendars are ... embarrassing. They have her picture on theml I can't think of a worse thing, but she LOVES this whole idea, and of course is convinced anyone receiving them will be thrilled with them as well. Even if that were true, 1/3 of 20 lOis already gone. It seems kind of lame to me to send these out now, but she's messed up and now is focused on sending them out.

ACT TWO:

OFFICE. FRIDAY AFTERNOON. REGINA IS REVIEWING HER WORK WEEK AND REALIZES HER PET PROJECT STILL IS NOT FINISHED. SHE APPROACHES CATHERINE TO GET PROJECT STATUS •••

REGINA: Hey, how are the calendars coming along? I was hoping to get them out today.

CATHERlNE: Oh fme, I guess. I didn't realize you wanted them out today? Oh, I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon. I'm not sure if I mentioned it...

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REGINA: Wait, haven't we discussed this?

CATHERINE: I don't have the database so I don't really know who you want them sent to.

REGINA: (Frustrated): My client list! Clearly, my client list will receive the calendars.

CATHERINE: Well, I've got the boxes right here-I've kinda been tripping over them. I absolutely want to get these out but you said you needed to go through the list first because you weren't sure who you wanted to include.

REGINA (Increasingly frustrated): Catherine, you should know the client list by now. You've been here six months. I expected to have this project done by now.

CATHERINE (Surprised by Regina's anger, trying to diffuse the situation a little): I think maybe we need to cut the list because you have 1200 total clients and you have only 800 calendars?

CATHERINE'S PHONE KEEPS VIBRATING DURING THE ENTIRE EXCHANGE. AT THlS POINT, REGINA IS CLEARLY ANNOYED.

REGINA: Catherine, do you want to get that? Jen (Embarrassed): Oh no, I can get it later.

CATHERINE QUICKLY TURNS OFF HER PHONE

REGINA: (Disgusted sigh). I'll get you the names today so you can send them out.i.today,

ELIZABETH, WHO HAS BEEN IlSTENING TO THE CONVERSATION, ATTEMPTS TO AMELIORATE THE SITUATION BY REMINDING REGINA SHE NEEDS TO DRAFT A PERSONAL COVER LETTER

ELIZABETH: What about the cover letter?

CATHERINE (Realizing it's getting dose to the time she has to leave for her doctor's appointment): Didn't you hear I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon?

REGINA: '(Derisively). Another doctor appointment? Oh, that's right. I forgot about that. (Huge , sigh) So I guess they won't get done today? Okay if you can't do them today, you can do them tomorrow.

CATHERINE (getting upset): But tomorrow's Saturday ...

REGINA: Is this a problem?

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WITHOUT WAITING FOR CATHERINE TO RESPOND, REGINA WALKS OFF, RETURNING TO HER OFFICE. WHILE REGINA IS WALKING TO HER OFFICE, CATHERINE GETS UP AND WALKS OVER TO TALK TO ELIZABETH

CATHERINE (To Liz): Did you just hear all that? I'm so frustrated!

ELIZABETH: Uh- yaaaah. She's on a roll. It's Friday--that's what she does on Fridays.

CATHERINE (Frustrated): I mean, I really want to learn the business, but this is ridiculous! I can't believe she wants me to come in on a Saturday when these calendars should've gone out 5 months ago. I just started 6 months ago! I've been waiting on her the whole time to get me the information I need. Why does she keep giving me these menial tasks?

ELIZABETH: (Big sigh): Sit down for a couple of minutes. First of all, you just have to realize this is just Regina. You've gotta let this roll offyou--she always does this. From a practical standpoint, she's not going to finish the list today. There's now way. Sh's not gonna write the cover letter today so it"s pointless for you to come in tomorrow. Don't even worry about that piece of it.

CATHERINE: (Relieved). Thanks, Liz. That makes me feel better. BuL.I'm really pissed. She's got me doing this bullshit work-- I mean, I'm happy to pay my dues and all but how long is this initiation going to last? I want more responsibilities! Why does she keeping giving me these adminjobs?

ELIZABETH: Challenge' is, this stuff has to be done. Since you're the newest on board, it's falling on you to get it done. However, I totally get that you don't want to keep doing all the junk. Every.project becomes longer and more involved blc Regina is disorganized and is always changing something, which means you've got to redo the whole thing.

CATHERINE: So then how do I figure this out? How do I make her happy and balance my own workload?

ELIZABETH: Here's what you do: Every day, go in to Regina and say, "This is what I'm working on ... " Ask her if what you show her is what she wants to be the priority for the day. Ask her if there's anything else. She wants to be the uber-manager. Let her be the uber-manager. Then, after she sees that you're doing exactly what she's asked you to do, you get to insert your wishes. For example, you could say: "As I was doing this project for you I saw that the client list . could maybe use additional analysis. Could I maybe dig in deeper and help out with the analysis?"

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CATHERlNE: Oh, that's greatl I saw this recently with one of the c1ients--they could use help with retirement planning. Here's what I'll do: On Monday I'll go in and give her my status list and add that I noticed the client needed additional information. But ... what if! go to her with my ideas and she's fixated on the calendars? And I don't have them done?

ELIZABETH: Remember, you still need to get the client list and cover letter from Regina. She's not going to delegate that piece ofit-it's something she absolutely has to do herself. You can go in and say to her, "It's my goal to these out, and as soon as you give me the list, I'm all over it. I've got the letterhead all ready; I'll make sure the return labels are ready. I've even figured out the postage, etc ... ? You just have to show Queen Regina that you really care about the g.d. calendars."

CATHERlNE (Visibly relieved): ~hank you. Thanks for putting this into perspective for me. I was completely lost but at least now at I have a plan of action.

Back to monologues:

ACT THREE.

FINAL MONOLOGUES

Patti: There's a reason I'm the #2 salesperson in the company. I've been at this a long time now and I think I've got a pretty good read on people. My role as a supervisor is to let my staff grow, both as fmancial experts and as people, let them make their mistakes and grow from them. But, my priority is the customer. And providing excellent customer service. That's why I have the same clients today that I've had for 15~20 years.

I think Catherine is a smart girl and she's going to do well in this industry if she puts her mind to it and can grow up a little bit. I think she'll do fine as an analyst but first she's got to focus. She's got to turn offher cell phone and make her job her priority ... I'm understanding about her pregnancy but I've had many pregnant women on my team throughout the years and all of them were able to balance home and work life. Catherine should be no different. Again, perhaps if Catherine turns off her cell phone and spends less time Tweeting and looking at You Tube videos, she'll have the energy and wherewithal to be more focused and perhaps can take more initiative. I do hope I'll be able to give her more meaningful projects-that's why I hired herl I need to be focused on my clients, and I need Catherine to help me do this by making sure all projects are completely successfully, not just the ones she likes. If Catherine can't handle a simple project, however, I'I,11 certainly not going to be able to trust her with my clients. It's just not going to happen. I need her to understand the client comes first.

On my way out today, I'll chat With her.

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CATHERINE (Relieved but still demoralized by Regina and frustrated with her career trajectory): I'm definitely still frustrated and demoralized but Liz really helped diffuse the situation and helped me take it less personally. I now have a better understanding of where Regina is coming from and what I need to do when interacting with her. I also think it helps that I have a plan of action and someone else to go to in the office to vent. I really need that. Also, I think understanding the workplace dynamic and where I fit in will make my job more manageable. I will definitely try these new tactics out and see where it leads me. I don't think I can be treated like this for another six months though, so if I am, I will be looking for another job. But I do like it here and I think I need to change my attitude a bit. First things first though, I need to go talk to Regina.

ELIZABETH: The challenge is to help Catherine deal with Regina and to help them find some balance. I understand Catherine's frustrations, but I think she's got to be proactive and work it so that she can get what she wants and needs out of this job while at the same time letting Regiua know that she's committed and working hard. Right now she's allowing Regina full control over process and structure. That's disaster in the making. Regina isn't all bad, she just so caught up with herself and her issues that she doesn't "get" any other perspective. Regina will feel a lot better if she thinks Catherine is a "team player".

I don't want Catherine to be #26 and leave, I like her - she's MUCH better than the last person who smelled like smoke all the time and snapped her gum to the point you wanted to slap her. I did try to warn Catherine when. she was hired, but people want to hear what they want to hear. I think she can make it, but it'll take her adapting more effectively to Regina's style. And besides, the thought of helping to interview and train yet another person is just agony for me.

I need to talk to Regina and get her to calm down so that Catherine won't quit.

FINAL ACT

EVERYONE STANDS UP SIMULTANEOUSLY, FACES THE AUDIENCE AND SAYS:

"We need to taIk. .. "

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[CURTAIN ... STANDINGOVATlON. ENCORE. MORE APPLAUSE. ROSES TOSSED ONSTAGE. ;)]