What to say in today's toughest workplace situations
Whatever trust previously existed between employer and employee has been torn into millions of pink slips, thanks to the latest recession. As a result, the rules for how managers and employees can successfully communicate have been irrevocably changed.
Whether you're a manager or employee, Workscripts explains what to say in life's toughest situations at work, including:
• Negotiating severance
• Performance reviews
• Responding to a pay cut
• Asking for a raise or promotion
• Terminating a friend
• Job interviews
• Dealing with difficult bosses
• And many more
Table of Contents:
Preface xi Chapter 1 The New Workplace Environment 1
Chapter 2 Workplace Bombshells 13
Workscript 2.1 Meeting your new boss 18
Workscript 2.2 Meeting your new staff 22
Workscript 2.3 Explaining a restructuring 26
Workscript 2.4 Announcing a purchase or merger 28
Workscript 2.5 Announcing a relocation 30
Chapter 3 Death Sentences 35
Workscript 3.1 Terminating a company icon 42
Workscript 3.2 You’re the icon being terminated 44
Workscript 3.3 Firing a friend 46
Workscript 3.4 Being fired by a friend 48
Workscript 3.5 Terminating someone close to retirement 50
Workscript 3.6 Being terminated when close to retirement 52
Workscript 3.7 Terminating someone with a personal burden 56
Workscript 3.8 Being terminated when you have a personal burden 58
Workscript 3.9 Terminating someone, but asking them to remain available 60
Workscript 3.10 Being terminated, but asked to remain available 64
Workscript 3.11 Making an end run around your boss 66
Chapter 4 Employer Cost-Cutting 69
Workscript 4.1 Furloughing someone without pay 74
Workscript 4.2 Being furloughed without pay 76
Workscript 4.3 Turning a full-time employee into a part-timer 78
Workscript 4.4 Being asked to become a part-time employee 80
Workscript 4.5 Cutting an entire staff’s pay 82
Workscript 4.6 Cutting an individual employee’s pay 86
Workscript 4.7 Having your pay cut 88
Workscript 4.8 Increasing employee’s hours but not pay 90
Workscript 4.9 Extending responsibilities without increasing pay 92
Workscript 4.10 Having your responsibilities increased but not your pay 94
Workscript 4.11 Reducing an employee’s staff 96
Workscript 4.12 Having your staff cut 99
Workscript 4.13 Reducing an employee’s budget 100
Workscript 4.14 Having your budget reduced 103
Chapter 5 On Bended Knee 105
Workscript 5.1 Responding to a raise request 112
Workscript 5.2 Requesting a raise 116
Workscript 5.3 Responding to a promotion request 118
Workscript 5.4 Requesting a promotion 121
Workscript 5.5 Responding to a budget increase request 124
Workscript 5.6 Requesting a budget increase 126
Workscript 5.7 Responding to a request for time off 128
Chapter 6 Managing Up 131
Workscript 6.1 Turning down an assignment 134
Workscript 6.2 Asking for relief from a project 138
Workscript 6.3 Asking for a deadline extension 140
Workscript 6.4 Breaking bad news to your boss 144
Workscript 6.5 Warning of potential client or customer problems 146
Workscript 6.6 Warning of potential vendor or supplier problems 148
Chapter 7 Getting Personal 151
Workscript 7.1 Asking employees to improve their appearance 154
Workscript 7.2 Asking employees to improve their hygiene 156
Workscript 7.3 Publicly putting an end to staff backstabbing 158
Workscript 7.4 Privately putting an end to staff backstabbing 160
Workscript 7.5 Confronting someone who’s backstabbing you 162
Workscript 7.6 Confronting a sexual harasser 166
Workscript 7.7 Ending staff sexual harassment 168
Workscript 7.8 Refusing to cover up for a peer 170
Workscript 7.9 Ratting out a peer 172
Workscript 7.10 Putting an end to brownnosing 174
Workscript 7.11 Stopping a flirtatious employee 176
Workscript 7.12 Stopping a flirtatious peer 179
Workscript 7.13 Putting an end to staff gossiping 180
Workscript 7.14 Confronting a gossip 183
Workscript 7.15 Confronting an employee with a drinking problem 184
Workscript 7.16 Confronting a peer with a drinking problem 186
Workscript 7.17 Putting an end to Internet abuse 189
Workscript 7.18 Questioning an employee’s expenses 190
Workscript 7.19 Defending your own expense report 193
Chapter 8 Looking Out for Number One 195
Workscript 8.1 Delivering a critical performance review 200
Workscript 8.2 Defending your own performance from criticism 201
Workscript 8.3 Asking an employee for self-criticism 204
Workscript 8.4 Responding to requests for self-criticism 206
Workscript 8.5 Offering suggestions for professional development 208
Workscript 8.6 Responding to suggestions for professional development 210
Workscript 8.7 Asking for a networking meeting 214
Workscript 8.8 Explaining a career shift to an interviewer 216
Workscript 8.9 Negotiating a job offer when you’re still employed 218
Workscript 8.10 Negotiating a job offer when you’re unemployed 220
Workscript 8.11 Giving notice 222
Epilogue 227
Index 229
