Tuesday, November 11, 2014

And these People Will Confront Putin, Lavrov, etc.?

Just got back from my brief visit to DC. Found this wonderful piece sitting in my in-box thanks to an agent of the vast Diplomad underground which exists at State. This, folks, is real. This is not some satire or faked-up notice. This is a real unclassified State Department memo.

And so it has come to this . .  .




Office of Origin:   MED/EX
Announcement Number:   2014_11_048
Date of Announcement:   November 6, 2014


Workplace Bullying Supervisor’s Support Group

The Office of Medical Services
Employee Consultation Services Presents

WHEN:          1st group January 6, 2015
                        (1st Tuesday of the month thereafter)
           
WHERE:       HST Ralph Bunche Library, 3rd Floor Conference Rm 3239
TIME:            12-1pm 
The purpose of this self-help group is to offer support to supervisor’s who believe they have been bullied in their work environment. The focus of this group is to provide resources and information sharing in a confidential setting.  Please join us in sharing experiences, ideas, support and resource information; or just listening.
Benefits of a support group:
·         realizing that you are not alone and others may be experiencing the same issues
·         members support each other and may suggest new ways of dealing with a particular problem
·         feeling less lonely or isolated
·         emotional support
·         problem solving support
The group will be facilitated by Ms. Jacqueline Pouncy-Smith, LCSW Clinical Social Worker– MED/ECS/EAP.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Ms. Pouncy-Smith at 703-516-1582 or email pouncysmithjx@state.gov.
These sessions are open to all federal employees at the Department of State.  Registration is not necessary; however, space is limited to 15.
To request a sign language interpreter, please contact RoyalEA@state.gov.  
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34 comments:

  1. Sam vfm #111November 11, 2014 at 8:06 PM

    Are they given swaddle blankets? Sounds like they need them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SalvorhardinNovember 11, 2014 at 8:17 PM

    Do you have to have a snooty hyphen name to work at State?

    Finally a group for Wilbur Milquetoast, Casper Pussyfoot, Seymour Pansy-Candyass to get together, if they can bring themselves to make the decision to attend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike M.November 11, 2014 at 8:18 PM

    Maybe Putin will die of laughter.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousNovember 11, 2014 at 8:27 PM

    Did the big bad manager hurt your widdle feelings? Tell us all about it. What a bunch of losers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. JamesNovember 11, 2014 at 9:05 PM

    Only 15! After Lavrov, Putin, Xing, the Mullahs, and (why not if I'm going to be snarky) Belgium gets finished with them they'll need Yankee Stadium. This reminds me so much of the old Newhart group session that had Mr. Heard, a door to door salesman, deathly afraid of strangers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 12:04 PM

      Can you imagine being #16 and told there was no room for your sniveling problems? That would cause even a die-hard wimp to curl up in the fetal position for convulsions- until 1:00pm. Then it's back to work at State for another month.

      I'd like to have the Kleenex™ concession.

      Delete
    2. JamesNovember 12, 2014 at 2:36 PM

      Yeah, it'd be pretty tough not making the cut to get on the "loser team".
      James the Lesser

      Delete
  6. JamesNovember 11, 2014 at 9:14 PM

    Oh, forgot to add to the above, Robin Raphel would probably be found in the first class.
    James the Lesser

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 12:59 AM

      Two Words.
      Neville Chamberlain

      On Crack..saying, "if that was my kid"
      Makes me vomit.

      leaperman

      Delete
  7. AnonymousNovember 11, 2014 at 9:49 PM

    Perhaps the President should attend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 8:34 AM

      For protection from ValJar or Moochelle?

      Delete
  8. AnonymousNovember 11, 2014 at 10:37 PM

    How do you bully someone in sign language? I must have missed that one on the schoolyard.

    Oooooohhhhh! That finger.

    Duh.

    But what if each of the fifteen need an interpreter? And what if the interpreters need wheelchair access to the 3rd floor? And what if the caterer serves crow? Will Moochele approve of the lunch?

    Maybe someone from The White House could stop by and give these poor testosterone challenged public servants a pep talk. Loud enough to make them whimper, but not quite cry.

    Rahm would be good at it. Valerie?

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnonymousNovember 11, 2014 at 10:57 PM

    Notice that they couldn't even pluralize 'supervisors' correctly. (In the body of the memo, not the title).

    The country is in the very best of hands.

    Wait, was that bullying? I think I might have just bullied them. I'm going to invest in fainting couches, it seems to be a booming market.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 12:56 AM

    Jesus! State is a menace today. an honest to god destroyer.
    leaperman

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 3:22 AM

    " The purpose of this self-help group is to offer support to supervisor’s who believe they have been bullied in their work environment."

    Bullied by their staff?

    Davod

    ReplyDelete
  12. MerkwürdigliebeNovember 12, 2014 at 7:21 AM

    "Pouncy-Smith?" Really? Must....resist....

    Maybe they have some contracts with Prof. Karl Gruber of the Institute of Going a Bit Red in the Face in Helsinki?

    My God, it's right out of Python. You can't make it up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Keith SloanNovember 12, 2014 at 7:29 AM

      I prefer to picture a Bond Girl.

      Delete
    2. Ted HenkleNovember 12, 2014 at 11:01 AM

      This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Ted HenkleNovember 12, 2014 at 11:04 AM

      "My God, it's right out of Python."

      Or Austin Powers. Ditto on the Bond Girl image.

      Delete
    4. FaustaNovember 13, 2014 at 9:55 AM

      "Leave Pouncy-Smith alone!" http://img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110616173825/youtubepoop/images/c/cb/Leave-britney-alone.jpg

      Delete
  13. whitewallNovember 12, 2014 at 9:16 AM

    At State, everyone is just oh so sensitive?

    ReplyDelete
  14. FNovember 12, 2014 at 9:26 AM

    Precious. Even with the misused apostrophe.

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 9:57 AM

    Who knew a case of the 'vapors' was psychosomaticly contagious? I believe the only known cure for the vapors is a six week stint at Parris Island, followed by weekly range time until the patient is potty trained.

    ~M

    ReplyDelete
  16. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 1:20 PM

    .... don't forget to bring your pajamas and hot chocolate....

    - reader #1482

    ReplyDelete
  17. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 2:08 PM

    If hashtag diplomacy doesn't work, then call a meeting.

    -Blake

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousNovember 12, 2014 at 7:38 PM

    At the State Dept. everything is a party. Look, they even have pity-parties!

    ReplyDelete
  19. gatorbaitNovember 12, 2014 at 7:52 PM

    Good God what horseshit. No wonder our adversaries are laughing ..

    ReplyDelete
  20. xangoNovember 12, 2014 at 11:50 PM

    Great merciful,Zeus!!! Is Pajama Boy going to be there..visually, he would fit right in

    ReplyDelete
  21. SdiVicNovember 13, 2014 at 12:12 PM

    Well, don't be too hard on state. This silly crap has begun to pervade all of our institutions. The marines, the army. Thank God for the 18 yr old American farm boy. Maybe State should recruit more from Kansas.

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousNovember 13, 2014 at 6:18 PM

    Dan Sullivan, assistant sec of state under GWB, now senator from alaska... goon? good guy? (Not that I believe anybody in such a high level position can get there without extreme voter stupidity, like obama's case, or a whole lot of dirt under the rug.)

    - reader #1482

    ReplyDelete
  23. Svir HedrigsNovember 16, 2014 at 7:23 PM

    I have to wonder ... is Ms. Jacqueline Pouncy-Smith, LCSW Clinical Social Worker– MED/ECS/EAP under any obligation or oath of confidentiality? Or will she report to The People Who Matter who the troublemakers and potential whistleblowers are?

    ReplyDelete
  24. Solomon2November 17, 2014 at 11:35 AM

    Diplomad, it may not be clear to readers "outside the beltway" - or who haven't studied for the Foreign Service exam - that negotiating through workplace issues is part of the expected experience at the State Dept., a kind of on-the-job training. After all, kids who graduate from college with straight A's in International Relations are scarcely fit for the kind of, ah, maneuvering expected of diplomats.

    A memo like this defeats the training, which will leave U.S. diplomats quivering and helpless when their foreign interlocutors subject them to prevarications and backstabbings - they will look around expecting to be able to appeal such conduct, but no such court will be available.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Alicia MNovember 18, 2014 at 2:39 PM

    Solomon2, thanks for the clarification. I thought it was just normal government BS until I read your comment.

    ReplyDelete
  26. AnonymousNovember 21, 2014 at 4:04 PM

    Did you see this?

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/21/us/politics/eavesdropping-on-pakistani-official-led-to-inquiry-of-former-us-diplomat.html?_r=1

    ReplyDelete