The WTN Blog

 

Where There’s Smoke

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

Characters:
Annette: a supervisor at a fictional company or government agency
Jeff: an employee in her department

SCENE: Annette is in her group’s work area. Jeff enters. He’s late.

A: (checks watch) Nice of you to drop by.

J: Hey, I’m sorry. You know, it’s amazing. We can explore distant galaxies, but we can’t get the elevators to work. I was 15 minutes early until I hit every red light. Then I get here with no time to spare and the elevator parks itself on 2 for 10 minutes.

A: You could have taken the stairs.

(more…)

 

Early Warning

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

Characters:
Ron: an employee at a fictional City Hall
Casey: his supervisor

SCENE: Ron is back in his office after a break Laurie an upsetting encounter with a co-worker

 

R: (on phone with a staffer in another department) …..there’s no way…..uh uh, no way…..it’s just not possible….Antonio, read my lips: I cannot pull all of that information together in a week….. (Casey, his supervisor, enters Laurie overhears conversation) It’s hard to say when… because I’m already swamped… it may come as a shock, Antonio, but council members are not my only customers… pardon me?… what attitude?….. you’re right, I am stressed Laurie this isn’t helping. You folks on the 3rd floor lay these major projects on us at the last minute, expect us to drop everything to get it done yesterday. I’m tired of it!… If that’s being negative, so be it…….I’ll get to it when I can. If it’s not good enough, get someone else to …..what?….is that a threat? ……no, go ahead, call Casey. Tell her you want a happier slave! (hangs up)

(more…)

Happy Employee

 

Guide to a Safe Workplace Free of Abuse and Bullying

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Originally published by Northeastern University School of Business

Workplaces are a natural melting pot for people of all different backgrounds to come together and work toward a singular company vision. However, not all employees work cohesively with one another, as some people may not get along all that well with others. Most people avoid any sort of confrontation and leave it at being polite, but brief. Others, though, take it further — to abuse and bullying.

According to this Forbes article, experts say there’s a general lack of bullying behavior awareness in workplaces, which may prevent people from immediately realizing that someone is being actively bullied. Workplace abuse can significantly impact victims in a negative way, having severe repercussions on not only their work but also their physical and mental health. Furthermore, companies pay the price when abuse is involved, from employee turnover to compensation claims to a ruined reputation.

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Eye of the Storm

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

Characters:
Eduardo: Hispanic facilities manager at a fictional university campus
Curtis: African-American groundskeeper
Mary Lee: Caucasian new supervisor

SCENE: Eduardo’s office. He’s at his desk waiting for Curtis to arrive for a meeting.

E: (rises) Curtis. Good Morning.

C: I sure hope it’s good. Figure I’ve got good news coming.

E: Is that right?

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Seeing the Light

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

Characters:
Nancy: a senior manager at a fictional company or government agency
Roger: a supervisor, Nancy’s direct report, former peer, long time friend

Scene: Nancy’s office. Roger arrives for a meeting

R: (At door) Good morning, stranger.

N: What’s so good about it?

R. Another person blown away by my charm and charisma.

N: Sorry, Roger. It’s been a stressful day. Come in. Sit down. (overly perky) Let’s talk.

R: Uh oh. The last woman who said “let’s talk” like that was my second wife. Just before she became my second ex-wife. Is this gonna cost me?

N: Possibly.

(more…)

Crossing the Line

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

Characters:
Lynn Ross: a middle school English teacher
Ed Silva: father of one of her students

SCENE: A classroom after school. Lynn is at her desk, grading papers. Ed enters.

 

E: Excuse me, are you Mrs. Ross?

L: Yes, I’m Ms. Ross. May I help you?

E: I’m Ed Silva, Eric’s father.

(more…)

 

Different Worlds

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

Characters:
Felicia: a Hispanic employee at a fictional company
Frank: her Anglo co-worker and team leader

SCENE: Frank is in the break room. Felicia enters.

Different Worlds Scene 1

Felicia: Hey, Frank! Glad I found you. Sorry to interrupt your break but I need your input right away on a couple of items for the Inter-Tech project. (calls out to someone across the break room in Spanish) Luis! Entonces me vas a conseguir los graficos para el final del dia, OK? Excelente! (to Frank) Luis is re-working the graphics for Monday’s presentation. That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about, actually.

Frank: Re-working it? Why? Barb’s graphics are fine. She’s got about 60 hours in those graphics.

(more…)

 

Do or Die

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

 

Characters:
David: a newly appointed manager at a fictional company
Sheila: an employee, formerly David’s peer, now his subordinate

SCENE: a local restaurant/bar. Sheila’s at a table waiting for David. He enters.

 

S: David! Over here! I was getting worried.

D: Hey, sorry. Meeting went over. It’s bumper to bumper. Cell phone’s dead. What a day. And it’s only half over. I never do this during the work day, but I’m having a beer. Want one?

S: You’re the boss now, so sure. (David orders beers) Anything I can do to help relieve that stress?

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“Edutainment”: Harnessing the Power of Entertainment to Enlighten and Educate about Harassment, Retaliation, and Related Topics

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“Edutainment”: Harnessing the Power of Entertainment to Enlighten and Educate about Harassment, Retaliation, and Related Topics

by Kit Goldman

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Employing an “edutainment” methodology for training on critical workplace topics can achieve extraordinary levels of engagement and retention.

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The “Edutainment” Genesis

It was October 1991. In my office, above the stage of the playhouse I built and operated in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter, I sat riveted — nay, mesmerized — watching the Clarence Thomas–Anita Hill hearings on a tiny, desktop TV.

For many of us outside the labor law community, that was the dawning of awareness about sexual harassment — an issue now in the consciousness of pretty much anyone not dwelling with the forest animals or contemplating their navel in a cave.

After a long run as an entertainment industry professional and early Gaslamp Quarter pioneer, I was ready to move from arts into business. I had built two theaters, produced over one hundred professional shows, had written, directed, and performed in dozens of productions, and longed to merge that passion with another passion: education, where a prior career track and my academic creds lay.

Watching those hearings, I had a prophetic thought: “This would make an amazing play.”

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No Big Deal

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By Kit Goldman, President of Workplace Training Network, Inc.

 

Characters:
Arturo: A customer service supervisor at a fictional company
Tracy: An IT employee

Scene: Arturo’s office. Tracy dashes in holding a cup of coffee.

 

T: Sorry I’m late. Stopped in the break room to get some coffee and that new temp… Ron… was in there passing out birthday cake and doing his thing.

A: “His thing”?

T: (takes off jacket, puts on chair) Yeah, the “spank me, it’s my birthday” thing. Putting on a big show even though he’s only been here 27 and a half days, not that I’m counting. The whole thing’s juvenile and disgusting. Anyway, sorry. What’s going on?

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