Mic has posted in the left frame paragraphs from Doc's Place, one of his copyrighted stories. I'm moderating chat here in the right frame. I post every day, but I don't post everything. I have formed a secondary group from which I may also post comments.

Since I served only to distract during our last chat session and therefore caused us to miss discussing the story part, I'll make up for it by initiating a few comments on this story part. Lucia mentioned last session that when I finish prep school, I plan to begin my baccalaureate studies at UCLA and then pursue a master's degree in international business. My specific undergraduate interests are accounting as well as Chinese dialects and culture. Once I begin my master's business work, I intend to specialize in negotiation frameworks within Chinese cultures. Anyway, the reason I mention all of this is as background for the comments I intend to make.

Les commented in dp13:2 about Jill's leadership in dealing with Liz Coates, the Employee Relations, or ER, Manager. Les predicted that Jill's challenging Liz to shoulder the responsibility of graduate assistant selection would pay off because Liz would overcome some of her fear of powerful people. Well, as usual, Les was right, because here we see the payoff. Without assistance from either Louise or Jill, Liz stands up to the CEO, Phil Garrett, and his VP of Finance and Administration, Dick Scope and defends why she's reporting to Jill and not Louise on the executive communication project.

Now, instead of praising Liz directly, Jill makes a joke, which serves to toughen Liz in anticipation of more adverse executive reaction in the near future. The moment Liz indicates that she gets the joke and then starts whining about future executive adversity, Jill ignores her and asks for the status on Liz' next responsibility. When Liz responds with assurance, Jill re-states it as her status to Louise, which Liz confirms.

This is valuable training for a future junior exec like me. Some would consider my attitudes toward leadership as coddling compared to Jill's example. Now I realize that to lead, one must be tough, like Jill. People like Liz will get it and respond.

So, in the beginning of this part, Jill manages down—Liz. Later in this part, Jill manages up—Louise.

If we know anything about Louise, it's that she is slowly losing her grip on reality before our eyes. Jill must remind her boss that weeks ago, they agreed that Liz prepares the material. To me, the way Jill reminds Louise is instructive. Instead of just telling her, Jill asks her a couple questions, which serves to put the responsibility back on Louise. The woman is slipping so badly that she can't recall what they discussed a few seconds ago, and then tries to cover her slip by lying and changing the subject.

Big picture, Jill applies this relentless pressure on Louise so that eventually the woman will snap——lose her grip on reality and resign. I realize Jill has no schedule for forcing out Louise but at this rate, Louise will probably resign during or shortly after the holidays, because I can't imagine Louise looking at that long stretch from January through May——with no long weekends or holidays between them——and staying.

Sorry to blather on, but I'm new so I'm trying to earn my keep, as it were. I'll leave Jill's juicy revelation at the end of this part for someone else to analyze.

Please accept my compliments on your analysis, Lupita, and thanks for your compliment. You omitted, perhaps intentionally, one comment from my earlier statement in dp13:2. Jill does `toughen Liz,' as you call it, so Liz can better stand on her own in the future; however, Jill also does it so she may focus on her own open and hidden agenda items. That investment has not provided a payoff, but it may in time.

Another `big picture' perspective, if I may speak plainly, is that Liz doesn't have the sack either for her position as ER Manager or for her responsibility over this project without Jill's support. The fact that Jill must toughen Liz at all does not bode well. I predict that, while Liz may succeed with this project and with her position because she has Jill's support, ultimately she will disappoint.

My analysis is pedestrian at best. As I said, I want to make up for burning a whole session last time and maybe make my bones as the new kid. In comparison, Les, your insight is substantial and your prediction about Liz seems on the spot. Any other tips on what I can watch for in a manager's performance to spot cracks in what may seem to be solid performance?

Sure, you mentioned Liz' whining. Liz frequently seeks Jill's reassurance. In contrast, Louise constantly seeks it, which makes her cracks easy to spot. Look for a balance, Lupita: managers should proceed with assurance where their confidence is justified, but too much assurance, or even bravado, can get them——and you——in trouble. For example, Dick Scope, the VP of Finance/Admin who thinks he hates Jill, proceeds with assurance to undermine her work but Jill, in her usual wily way, will delve deeper to undermine him and hoist him on his own petard——probably several times. Are you familiar with the literary reference, Lupita?

"Hoist with his own petard" I have heard but I did not know until looking it up just now that it is from Will Shakespeare's Hamlet. The metaphor is instructive. Thank you, Les. Any more tips?

Anon

You, good sir, are a priceless, multifaceted jewel.

You are your own sharpest critic, Lupita, which will stand you in good stead. I'm referring to your description of your analysis as pedestrian. In your defense, you and Les could not have had the discussion you just had without your having laid the groundwork, even the foundation.

By now, you know I must question Jill's actions and therefore, your assertions, however. Liz practically pleads for a compliment, but finishes the conversation disappointed. Jill cannot spare one tiny boost to someone who not only allies herself openly with her, but also watches her back and will no doubt cover for the ungrateful woman as well. Is that what you're saying?

Tío Marcus, I love you. You say you fire off these questions to keep us thinking, but the truth is that you do it, as Alice accused you of long ago, to praise Jill. You choose this method because as a Catholic, you cannot in good conscience support and praise her directly. As a critic, my beloved Marcus, you are a mere poseur, for which I salute and embrace you. However, I will answer your question, your criticism, such as it is.

Jill is not some manager who should read a few books on winning friends to improve her people skills. In fact, she has memorized most of that swill, and, if such suited her purpose, she could quote it to us chapter and verse. However, as we know, Jill Price is a sociopath——or worse. Her objective is to manipulate Peter, Liz and everyone in between——coolly and calculatedly——for her own dark purposes, some of which she has revealed, most of which she has not and may never.

Oh, and next time you do that, I may pin you until you say uncle. You know I can.

Obviously, you know Marcus and Lenora. Will you tell us about your relationship?

Marcus and Lenora are my uncle and aunt, not by blood but by virtual adoption. Our family has been spending the holidays at their house since Sam and I were babies. Their headstrong daughter is living with us for her freshman year at USC to keep her away from those damned Mormons (sorry, Annie and Bill Jr.) and other questionable influences. When Marcus tells you he's some kind of ball-busting business badass, watch him when we arrive at his house. His eyes are leaking like a sieve. Even his beloved Lenora teases him.

Were you and your family upset after we raked Marcus over the coals back in dpc3:4?

No, we were rolling on the floor. Marcus the Mexican Millionaire, as Amalie called him, was funny. Besides, he needs that kind of experience occasionally so he doesn't get full of himself.

My sweet uncle hasn't told you this, but he used to have the same problem Les had or maybe still has in that he tried to control his family and sometimes used criticism to do it. When he says that he and Lenora have learned much from their experiences over the past year with their youngest daughter, he means it. She loves her family and she is a genuinely good person, so she'll be fine.

His children and I feel that it is our duty and our honor, really, to administer Marcus' purgatory here on earth so that he spends less time there after he dies and before he enters heaven. After all, as I've told him several times, the Popes quit selling indulgences in 1903, so we must do something to relieve his plight immediately after death. His children and I are just the ones to do it too, since we are so familiar with his shortcomings. Uncle Marcus takes it well though, because he loves having us around—for any reason.

Aren't you going to defend yourself against all this calumny and imprecation, Marcus?

I am afraid my dear Lupita is correct, friend; I have no defenses against her, Sam and my children. The fact that they constantly mock me does not hide the real affection they have for my beloved Lenora and me. In fact, they rarely mock me without sitting on my lap or while hugging me and mussing my hair. Further, I have mounted my high horse from time to time just so they will gang up on me.

You mentioned Jill's juicy revelation at the end of the part. I'm sure Lloyd stares at Jill to impress upon her the importance of what Jill just said——that Jill keeps part of her life in shadow. I'm sure Jill ignores Lloyd's not-so-subtle hint to discuss it. However, by admitting that she lies to herself in ways she does not realize, Jill confesses the same to us.

Good one, Steph, and well put.