When I write my books, my goal is to address the issue as 1-what’s the problem; 2-what’s the cause; 3-what’s/who is affected; and 4-what’s the solution. 

I thought I had flunked that premise after a follow-up call with a coordinator of nursing education in a northeastern hospital last week.  I had met her at the Nursing Magnet Conference in Salt Lake City in October.  She kindly bought a copy of Stabotage! How to Deal with the Pit Bulls, Skunks, Snakes, Scorpions & Slugs in the Health Care Workplace. 

Now that the elections are over (goodbye Sarah Palin, I hope), I can refocus this Blog on what it was intended for … dealing with the Pit Bulls with Lipstick in the Workplace.  The Staboteurs who can make your workplace life hell.

At a recent book signing for my latest book, Stabotage! How to Deal with the Pit Bulls, Skunks, Snakes, Scorpions & Slugs in the Health Care Workplace, I was deeply impressed by the dozens of stories–awful stories–about being undermined in the workplace.  I was surrounded by the nurse execs of the top rated hospitals in the country–hospitals that gained Magnet recognition, primarily because of their quantative nursing excellence.

So, you are thinking, “If they are so hot, how come they’ve got bad girls and boys in the workplace?”

The answers are multiple… workplaces tolerate mediocrity; they hope that the toxic players will go someplace else; if there is a Union involved, there’s the belief that the potential lawsuit isn’t worth it; some believe that HR is the enemy and they won’t do anything, etc., etc.

The new study cited within Stabotage reports that undermining and Stabotage is on the increase–the difference between sabotage and Stabotage is intentionality–women and men who Stabotage indend to cause mayhem and harm.  Over 26% of the female respondents (3,000 plus) reported that if they had their druthers, they would prefer not to work with other women–a bit difficult if one works in health care. Over 53% said they have quit workplaces because abusive and bullying behaviors.  And, the culprit? Over 63% said it was their manager, a significant increase from the study undertaken in 2003 for Zapping Conflict in the Health Care Workplace.

Where do we go?  First, only work in workplaces that have a zero tolerance for bullying and abusive behaviors. Remember, silence condones offensive actions–don’t bite your tongue. Learn how to confront–if you don’t, you approve of the behavior. Track down my CarefrontingScript–there are articles on my website, www.Briles.com as well as referenced in my books. I’ll do a later Blog on Carefronting.

If you work in health care, or know someone who does, get the Stabotage book.

I was on the road last week when a woman who bought my book Woman to Woman: From Sabotage to Support in 1995 called my office. Yep, I’ve been writing about women not supporting, not helping and undermining other women since 1987 when that book was first published.

She thought it was just awful that so many, especially women, weren’t supporting Sarah Palin.  “Supporting,” I questioned, “Rose, Sarah Palin isn’t qualified to be Vice President, much less President of the United States.” I referred her back to the section on the “Patty Principle” where women rise to a level that exceeds their competency levels … the female counterpart to the Peter Principle.

“But,” she said, “Sarah is a woman, we should support her, not speak negatively about her.”

“She’s not qualified,” I responded.  “In fact, by supporting someone who is not qualified is in fact undermining her–you are setting her up for a colossal failure. I wouldn’t consider supporting Sarah Palin and think that anyone that does is foolish and ignorant.”

We continued our chat and ended the call.  Is she still a Palin supporter?  I don’t know.  I do know that Palin has great energy, incredible camera presence and a fan club that numbers millions.  I also know that she doesn’t tell the truth and she fudges the facts. She thrives on the rumors that circulate … even fueling them … that Obama/Biden are this and that. That they are unAmerican.   That he pals around with terrorists. What kind of nonsense is this? 

I’m sick of her drive to instill fear into the population; to spread hate via the hints that Obama is tied to the terrorists, Marxism and Socialist, that taxes will skyrocket, that the average “Joe” will be significantly harmed under a Obama presidency.  McCain echoes everything that comes out of her mouth.

I actually voted for John McCain a few elections ago.  I wrote him in vs. Bush #1. The person he was isn’t the person today. When I see/hear McCain today, I wonder, “What was I thinking…he’s no more qualified than my left foot.”  When I watched Colin Powell on Meet the Presson why he was endorsing Obama, who I also wrote in as my presidential choice when Bush #1 was running against Clinton, I remembered why I wrote him in.

Sarah Palin is a Pit Bull and a Snake.  If you have to deal with one, I would take the Pit Bull. With Pit Bulls, there are few surprises, they are very overt.  They move like a Pit Bull, bark like a Pit Bull and bite like a Pit Bull.  You are forewarned.  Snakes are different.  Being covert is their MO… oh, they hiss at everything, dropping rumors and innuendos,  have nasty bites and can be fatal… but they often aren’t visible initially… not until they rattle their tales or rear up and strike.  Palin is both.

OK, people, wake up.  This country is in deep doo-doo.  We owe a gazillion dollars–it has to be paid back.  Our educational system needs to be whacked to wake up so our students can become competitive adults in the global world.  Our global reputation is the pits. Health care in the USA has evolved from ideal to scary, the costs are outrageous and the consumer is at the mercy and whim of what the insurance companies will do next. Companies that were considered the hallmarks of profit and all things American are riddled with financial chaos and fraud. Corruption and incompetencies have become the norm with out political “leaders.” 

It’s time to give the boot to most of them. People are hurting, families are struggling.

I watched the debates with 10 friends last night.  We watched pre and post.  It’s was clear to all of us that Biden is the better candidate–he’s more grounded, far more experienced, and frankly, if I’m going to drink a beer, he would be my personal choice to schmooze with. I’m not Joe 6 Pack–I’m a Mom, Gramma, Aunt, Sister, Daughter, former Soccer Mom …. and just about every other type of Mom we can put a label on.

I’m sick of the “folksy” movement.  I’ve had it up to my eyeballs with Bush and company.  Palin is no better.  She’s even scarier, because she’s more like Dick Cheney, but with a skirt. 

Sure, she looks great. But looking great isn’t what this election, or any election, should be about.  There’s a knock out number in the play and movie Chorus Line—Tits and Ass … a bought me a pair…. Sarah Palin is the Tits and Ass candidate.

But there’s something else that concerns, even alarms me.

All have tauted Sarah Palin as the hockey Mom, the Mom of 5, the Mom of a special needs child, as one of us.  She is not.

If she was this caring Mom, she wouldn’t be doing what she’s doing.  She wouldn’t be dragging a 5 month old around the country; parading him in bright lights and noisy crowds. 

Cognitively, any baby needs sleep–lots of it. This kid is a special needs child. A child who needs the comfort of home, not campaigns; the comfort of someone who is a primary care-giver, not a campaigner; the quiet; not the ruckusnoise of crowds; and safety– lots of it.

As one Mom to another …. shame on you–this baby has no business on any campaign trail. You are sabotaging your child.

Years ago, I was a stock broker with EF Hutton … remember the folks who said that when they spoke, people listened. I follow what’s going on in the money markets and have watched and listened as the multiple bailouts and shotgun weddings/mergers have unfolded these past few weeks in shock and awe.

Shock in how incredibly bad things are.  And in awe as to how the great many of the financial pros and politicians have had the rug pulled out from under them.  Not to mention the American public in general.

The financial markets have been spiraling for a long time.  Last November, I recommended to the viewers of Denver’s KWGN-TV on a regular morning segment that the stock market wasn’t a place to be in if money was needed within the next three years; In January of 2008, I reminded them in another segment.

Cash was King, Queen … Everything … we were in turbulent times.

Fast forward to fall 2008.  The economy is a bloody mess.  I strongly felt that things were bad, but had no idea how really bad they were.

Several giants of Wall Street are in financial ruins.  Should they be bailed out? Not without HUGE strings attached.  And if the strings aren’t there from the get-go, then walk away. You, and I, have to “eat it” when we financially screw up … why should the big boys get another serving when they do?

The Lord-in-Waiting, current Secretary of the Treasury Paulson and his cronies–the Bush Gang, want total control with zip input from anyone.  In Paulson’s Mother of All Bailouts, he spells out what he wants in Section 8, one scary sentence.  It goes:

Quote …

“Decisions by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency.”

Unquote.

Would you give your financial life … a financial life that will weave into everything you know, affecting you, your kids and grand kids … to someone you don’t know; someone whose been on the “watch” for the past 8 years and has had to have multiple clues that things have been amiss long before the financial bomb was dropped on the American public and the world; and someone who is truly acting the Pit Bull (sans the lipstick … but than, who knows what he does in private) in a bully posturing of telling us that his way is the only way?

These Lords, and Ladies, should not get one penny for the mess that has been created under their watch; they should be returning the moneys that they raided under the auspice of “work” and “bonus” and they should be banned from every being affiliated with anything related financial that involves the public.  The Scarlet F … for Fraud or whatever F word you want to tie to it.

Suggest you start calling and emailing your reps that the Bailout as its presented needs to be deep-sixed.

It defies all common sense that women who exclaimed that Hillary was “The One,” would flock their undying support and love of candidate to another who is so opposite in every way. The next new “The One.”

Isn’t it odd , and coincidental, that so many women, at least if you are to believe all the polls, are flocking to The One without any vetting.. being that The One is a woman is all they need to know, and want. Sarah Palin is their new The One.

How blatantly stupid of them … all of them. Hillary’s flock.  Other women. To blindly support anyone who represents the opposite of everything that they said they believed in; that they wanted … just because they are the same gender. No vetting necessary.

“She seems nice; she’s got kids; she’s worked her way up; she’s pretty; she’s funny; she’s a good speaker; she’s so friendly, she’s fun … she’d be fun at girls night out … she’s fill in the blank.

In her first interview with ABC’s Charlie Gibson, it was clear that she didn’t know very much… so she winged it, whatever “it” was.  Imagine, anyone with any intelligence accepting a “winger” as a VP or possible President.

This person who is clueless about foreign affairs, about anything/any way that Washington DC ticks, and is so willing to parrot anything that her handlers tell her and exclaim that she is qualified to be President is dangerous … and scary. I wonder what ole Charlie really thought about her, as she blinked, talked about blinking, feigned coyness and did a fairly good job of manipulating him?

Let’s go back to the female fickle factor.  Women are more covert than men… not that men don’t do their share of covert activities. My research and books that include 9 national studies on women and their personal and workplace relationships support this.

Both Sarah Palin and John McCain are staboteurs and saboteurs.  They are intentionally setting out to destroy Obama’s reputation, even his record. The real one. To mislead the American public about Obama. The outrageous ads referencing pushing sex education on little kids; statements that Obama has never worked with the opposite party (I wonder how Republican Dick Luger feels that he’s been cast as a Democrat after all these years as Indiana’s senior Senator; or lies about increasing taxes where it’s clear that anyone under $250,000 comes out ahead with Obama.

To the extent, that even the dirtiest of pols, Karl Rove, told the McCain camp that they needed to back off. The black pot calling the other black pot more than black!

Typically, women will give other women more slack, more space, and more leeway.  A woman is less likely to confront another woman about toxic behaviors or her own inappropriate behavior–instead rationalizing whatever the behavior is, even tying it into some wrong doing that might have led up to it.

And they, when she finally, truly realizes she’s been had, she feels betrayed… when it’s she who really betrayed herself.

Sarah Palin is George W Bush, only more dangerous.  The pit bull or pig with lipstick. She’s smarter, much smarter than he is.  That’s why she is a Trojan Horse–looks good, enticing from the outside and lethal when opened.

And here we are –deja vu.  George W Bush all over again.  The female fickle factor.

I believe the polls when they say that 80% of the American public think things are the pits. So what’s a normal reaction when your life, your work or those around you is the pits? For many, it’s a call of a retreat … but to others, they hope that tomorrow will be a better day.

Color me amused. What’s with the Republicans … they want to dish it, but can’t take it? Pigs and Pit Bulls … what’s the difference?–some could wear lipsitck some don’t. Since Sarah Palin started the whole pit bulls with lipstick scenario, let’s look at some of the things she stands for:

• She comes along and spouts out about small town values, they are the best; what she’s really saying is that taking a global role is better as a backseat scenario –it’s better to stay home, wave the flag, shoot a moose, country first. And the crowd cries out yeah, yeah.
• World affairs are a non-issue and that the mere fact that America’s name is mud in many parts of the world is irrelevant, so ignore them. And the crowd cries out yeah, yeah.
• Cocooning for the family is in–if you don’t belong to my tribe, my herd, than you aren’t one of us/me. Blow off strangers–those who might need some help, some understanding, a bit more time, even a few bucks. It’s my/our kids eating or yours… and who cares about yours, stranger? And the crowd cries out yeah, yeah.
• Myopicness means focused–personal issues that should be personal issues aren’t. One side of the mouth says government keep out; the other side says, the government will make a choice for you. Choice for women is out; government says no-no–your voice doesn’t count. Guns are good, the Constitution says that you have the right; the choice for doing what you do with your body is bad and the government will strive to make sure the legal system makes it so. And the crowd cries out yeah, yeah.
• Here’s to the Red, White and Blue. 4,000 men and women dead; 30,000 wounded in a slam dunk, mission accomplished fiasco. And that doesn’t include the mega thousands dead and injured of the attacked country. Challenging anyone who questioned the validity of the war … they are now unpatriotic. And the crowd cries out yeah, yeah.
• Embrace the new, new change… we’re going to change/reform things… doesn’t matter that we created the mess, added to the corruption … trust us, we will fix it as soon as we are really in control. And the crowd cries out yeah, yeah.

This election is about change. It’s about taking risk, which is always scary. Sarah Palin has to, must be approached and opposed aggressively when appropriate. This has absolutely nothing to do with sexism or bigotry. Will, yes there is bigotry–there’s a clip of Ms. Palin referring to Barack Obama as “Sambo.” For shame.

Sarah Palin is slippery … and not someone I would want for a friend or an associate. All Mom and Apple Pie and an attractive facade that has a personal strategy to reverse 40 years of progress that women have made in their personal and professional lives.

If the lipstick fits, wear it. And the crowd should cry … yeah, yeah.

I’m afraid.  For myself. For my family. For my friends. For this country. For the world. I’m in shell shock that so many millions have embraced a small town, small city, small populated state representative as a messiah.  She will save us … and it doesn’t matter that we will revert in personal and constitutional rights and go retro in the process.  I mean, Caribou Barbie looks damn good.

I had an email from a woman who owns pit bulls… she thought I was right on in my commentary about Ms. Palin, but not about pit bulls.  As I think about it, I owe her an apology.  Sarah Palin isn’t a Pit Bull, she’s not good enough … she’s a snake and a scorpion.  Scorpions stay pretty much out of the way, unless you stir them up a bit and their tail comes up to strike; snakes slither along and will strike quickly, sometimes with warning, sometimes not. After all, a pleasant smile, good teeth, a nice body can go a long way.

John McCain looks like he’s on double doses of Viagra–what a spunky guy he’s become since the GOP convention.  I just hope Ms. Cindy can keep him in line.  Isn’t it a fun sight… John and his girls–something for the older voters and something for the younger.  Why, John McCain has outRoved Rove with his gameplan as he resurrected himself and the grand old party…. a party that needs to morph and come into the 21st century.

I listened closely to Bob Woodward talk about his new book, The War Within, last night on Larry King Live.  I know, I know … I knew that George W. Bush was an incompetent; I learned that from contacts I had in Texas before the first election. I’ve read many of the previous books over the past few years that verfied that … but here we go again.  Actual taped conversations with one of the most incompetent, indecisive men of our time to have stepped into a leadership role and was able to bluff his way through it. And people still think he’s grand. What in the hell is wrong with them?

And millions are willing to go along with the mess of the last 8 years plus. Forgive it; turn a back to it. Millions are willing to assume a guy who is a war hero also means that he is a great leader, no matter what the age. And millions who think a fresh name/voice is ideal to run an operation that is huge with little experience.  What in the hell is wrong with them?

Would you let a doctor, because he has an MD, operate on your brain?  I would hope not, unless he’s a brain surgeon and a great one; would you let a person captain a mega-cruise ship because they happen to be good with their dingy on the weekend?; would you leave someone with your kids for a month because they like kids and seem nice?   What are people Thinking? What are people Drinking? What drugs are people Taking?

2008 may end up being the Year of the Stupid Factor.