Workscripts: Perfect Phrases for High-Stakes Conversations

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