~ From "Secretary's Guide to Dealing with People," Parker Publishing, 1964 ~
Franz: "You look tired this morning."
Secra (coughing): "I didn't sleep well last night."
Franz: "A little touch of the ol' summertime allergies, huh?"
Secra (coughing): "I think what I've got is a *touch* of bronchitis, actually."
Franz: "Nahhhhhhhh. You're just allergic to all the tree pollen floating around. It's all the TREE POLLEN!"
Secra (coughing): "It might be more than just tree pollen."
Franz: "Take a couple shots of warm brandy before you go to sleep tonight."
Secra (coughing): "Yeah. OK, Franz. That's a great idea."
"The
ideal reaction to a difficult employer is quiet acceptance and
understanding. He is only blowing off steam to relieve his own
feelings, and means nothing personal against you."
~ From
"Secretary's Guide to Dealing with People," Parker Publishing, 1964 ~
Franz (on the phone): "Yeah ... I'm stuck dealing with a bunch of paperwork today. Our admin staff has fallen down completely on this one."
Franz: "I hate being caught with my pants down around my ankles all the time, y'know? It's really embarrassing. I can't count on any back-up."
Franz: "Yeah ... the level of incompetence ... the sheer level of incompetence ... starts from the bottom and works all the way up to the top, y'know what I'm saying? It makes ya wonder, what the hell am I paying these people for? Y'know?"
Franz: "Next thing you know I'm going to be running this place all by myself. Hahahahahahahahaha."
Secra (standing outside doorway): Silence.
"Caution:
The executive should respect your intelligence, appreciate your
talents, and utilize them both. You, in turn, should feel that the work
you are doing is important to him and to the concern. You should not
allow yourself to become so self-sufficient that you develop an
indifference to the boss's feelings and opinions."
~ From
"Secretary's Guide to Dealing with People," Parker Publishing, 1964 ~
Franz: "Why didn't the newsletter go out this month?"
Secra: "The newsletter DID go out. They distributed it last week while I was on vacation."
Franz: "Who distributed it? I don't know who 'they' are."
Secra: "The Human Resources Director Person, and Jocelyn."
Franz: "I thought you do the newsletter."
Secra: "I do. I did everything this time except the printing and distributing."
Franz: "Why didn't YOU distribute it?"
Secra: "Because I was on vacation."
Franz: "Well ... why didn't they give me a copy?"
Secra: "Because YOU were on vacation, too."
"Suggestion:
Present a picture of your boss (to the world) that is pleasant and
cooperative -- the sort of image that he would want projected. Don't
reveal the fact that he may have his days of bad humor and impatience."
~ From
"Secretary's Guide to Dealing with People," Parker Publishing, 1964 ~
Franz: "What the hell does it take to get a goddamn list of client numbers around here?"
Secra: "Alice emailed everybody the new list this morning."
Franz: "Email doesn't do me any good! Email is useless! I want a regular printed list that I can actually SEE!"
Secra: "That's why I printed you a copy of the e-mail."
Franz: "Oh."
Secra: "It's on your chair."
Franz: "Well ... I should have had it yesterday."
Secra: "You're welcome."
"Remember:
The career girl who is most happy in her business or profession is the
one who has been able to overcome her tensions and relax."
~ From
"Secretary's Guide to Dealing with People," Parker Publishing, 1964 ~
Franz: "Smile."
Secra: "I AM smiling."
Franz: "I haven't seen you smile all day."
Secra: "I AM smiling. On the inside."
Franz: "You need to smile more."
Secra: "I'll smile when I feel better. I promise."
Franz: "Oh. What? You're not feeling well?"
Secra: [Silence ... followed by violent coughing.]
A heartfelt thank you to my pal Melissa for her invaluable contribution to today's entry ... not to mention the *contribution* to my bookshelf.
Thank you!!
I'm heading for home and my nice
big lumpy bed now. I plan to crawl into it headfirst ...
marinated lightly in a light coating of Vicks VapoRub ...
... and continue waiting for my precious *health molecules* to
replenish themselves.
