It was fall of 2008, I had just been promoted from general manager of the theater to director of marketing for a cultural center in Staten Island. When the recession hit, the entire theater department was terminated due to budget cuts. I was one of two people who were still employed and I got promoted!
It was bitter sweet, on the one hand, I still had a job and it was doing something I very much enjoyed. With a baby on the way, steady employment was extremely important. On the other hand, there were dozens of people whom I connected with and loved that I now had to say goodbye to.
The promotion also came with a slightly bigger problem. I was now going to be reporting directly to the CEO, and let’s just say, she wasn’t the easiest person to deal with.
I had been promoted to marketing for my graphic and web design skills. I had some talent in writing, but little to no experience in writing press releases, which was going to be a big part of the job.
I arrived early that first Monday morning. My inbox had an email from our CEO. Let’s call her, Fannie Brice. Fannie wanted five different press releases regarding five different happenings at the center, so I got to work. About an hour after I submitted the press release, Fannie asks to see me in her office. She expressed her disappointment with my work by throwing the papers at me, letting them fall to the floor and calling my work “crap,” and telling me to do it over.
As dehumanizing as that scene was, I wasn’t surprised. I had worked there for a couple of years already and my previous supervisor, who had reported to her, often confided in me about the dysfunctional ways in which she managed him.
However, in all fairness, the work was crap. It was crap because I didn’t know how to write a press release and should’ve did some research before I started. I don’t know what made me think I could just dive right in and write a press release. Knowing who I was back then, it was probably arrogance.
I then picked up the strewn press release pages and headed to leave her office. Something made me take pause before opening the door. Perhaps it was the simple fact that I didn’t like being bullied. But more to the point, I didn’t want to start off our new supervisor / employer relationship on such a bad note. Plus, if I didn’t get some direction, I was going to spend the rest of the day agonizing over these and probably turning in more crap leading to my eventual demotion. I took a deep breath and turned to face her.
“Mrs. Brice,” I said, “I realize I don’t know how to write a press release. Perhaps you could spend some time explaining exactly what it is you want?”
She rose from her desk and headed toward her conference table she had in the middle of the room while huffing in a way that communicated I was bothering her. She started to explain how to formulate a press release in a very condescending way. I decided that I was simply going to listen to what she was saying and not how she was saying it. I began to ask intelligent questions to which she gave intelligent answers. Soon, she grabbed a newspaper and started showing me examples using articles.
And then something magical happened, not only was I completely clear on what a press release was, but she and I were laughing and getting along! And all after about ten minutes!
About two hours later, she was commending me on what a fine job I did correcting those press releases. Mrs. Brice turned from a person I was dreading reporting to, to someone I was able to collaborate with while maintaining mutual dignity and respect.
In retrospect, I’m so glad I didn’t give up on Fannie. Had I let her comment shut me down, I would’ve never been able to grow in my skills as a marketing director, or in my working relationship with a brilliant CEO.
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