Equal Opportunity

Transcript

Um, do you have the final reports from accounting? I can't. ..

They're not here. I can't find them anywhere. No.

No, they're not here. Um. ..

Let me check. No, they're not there either. Oh, is that them? Perfect.

Thank you. Uh. ..

Okay. Sure. Oh, you just kind of threw them at me.

Anyway, moving on. Okay, I'm going to put these over here. Okay, that's good.

Um, so we still have to deal with the visual part. I'm not really sure what will work in terms of showing them what we're trying to get across. I mean, the numbers are pretty self-explanatory, but it's going to be a long presentation, and I don't want people falling asleep.

Excuse me? What did you just say? No, you said something.

What did you say? Oh. All right, then.

Um, is there anything you'd like to talk about? Before we continue with what's already a really late night? Well, you just said they're already going to fall asleep anyway, and we've been working on this presentation for weeks.

This whole project is pretty crucial. So if you have something to say, let's deal with it and then get back to work. What? No, that's not an order.

Where the hell did that come from? Okay, yeah, I'm the executive on this account, sure, but that has nothing to do with it. When did that matter? We've been working on this for a long time together.

So you're just being rude right now, and you've been getting progressively surlier with me over the last week or so. So let's just have it out, whatever's biting your butt, let's deal with it, and then we can actually get some work done, because I don't have time for this. Mind my own business.

Wow! Okay, I don't pull rank very often, but I am technically your senior, so watch what you say and how you say it, please. No, no, the only reason I brought that up is because of how you're speaking to me right now.

If you weren't, I wouldn't go there, because I don't care. But you seem to have left respect at the door, so what the hell is going on? It is my business.

It's my team, and you're out of line. So either get back in line, or you can leave, and we'll deal with this tomorrow during business hours, because I have too much to do to deal with you. Two choices.

Wow. How do you figure I don't give a crap? About you? In what way? Of course I do.

If something's bothering you, I'd like to know, so that I can do something about it, if possible. I'm not pretending anything. Outside of the fact that you're on my team for this project, we've been working pretty closely together for weeks.

I thought we were vibing a little bit here. You know, we don't have to be besties or anything, but, like, mutual respect? So yeah, I give a crap.

I'm not gonna forget it. What is this? Wait.

Do you want me to give a crap? Is that what this is about? You think I'm, I don't know, up my own ass or something, and don't? Like, I'm trying to get a read on this, but you're making it really hard right now.

Because if you think that I'm up my own ass, we need to talk about that. And now you won't even look at me. What the heck is going on here? Hey.

Stop it. Look at me. It does matter.

You went from ready to duke it out to now you've just closed down on yourself. What is happening? We're not gonna get anything done with you feeling and acting like this.

So please, talk to me. Or at the very least, tell me what we need to do to get this back on the rails, because, again, too much to do for this. It does matter.

I do care. That's why I'm asking. Oh.

Okay. I didn't expect that. Don't apologize.

No. How do you? You're making assumptions.

Yeah, you are. You just told me that you care about me outside of a work thing. And now you're assuming I don't feel the same? Do you have evidence to back that up? Is that what I always ask you guys when you pitch stuff for me? Back it up.

Professionalism doesn't equal what you're trying to say. Uh, what does that have to do with anything? What do you mean I'm me and you're just you? That's.

.. Ew. Okay, you've been watching too much TV or.

.. something. Because that's not a thing.

There's no such thing as a big shot. That's distasteful to even say it. Now, I'm an executive, yeah? But I've been at the company longer than you.

So, that makes sense? Eventually you will be too. But I don't pay attention to that crap.

I don't care. And I do like you. I do care about you.

Of course I do. When you're not being a jerk, like you have been tonight, I like you more every time we work together. Yeah.

Yeah, I'm serious. Well, it's not something we can talk about right now. You know that, right? Okay.

You have a deer in headlights look right now that's not really helping any of this. I'm not saying till death do us part, but, you know, coffee or something wouldn't be out of the question. Yeah, absolutely.

Again, not right now though. Yeah, company policy. No, I can't risk my career and you can't risk yours.

But, but, there's a silver lining here, okay? Silver lining. When this project is over, you're no longer on my team.

I'm borrowing your expertise for this, remember? So, I won't be your direct upline after this project. Once this presentation is done, that's it.

You go back to your department and I stay here. You will no longer report to me, so the company policy won't apply. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, you could have held on to this for a few more days. Maybe a week tops. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I mean, of course. We have a great time. This project has been absolutely awful.

It is one of the worst that I've had to do. And it's been bearable because I've been working on it with you. Not just because you're good at what you do, which you are.

That's why you're here. But because of who you are and how you do things. Just your personality.

That is kind of huge. So, yeah, I, I care about you too and I'd like to see what's here. But we have to be mindful for a little while longer, okay? When you're officially back in your own department and we can do this right, we'll see where this goes.

Okay? Um, well, once I'm not your direct upline, I think the only thing we have to do is disclose to HR that it's happening so that, you know, they know what's going on. But other than that, that's it.

As long as I don't have any say in your career path here, then we're good. It's a big company, they get it. So, are we good? You're going to stop being a jerk? Because that part of you I was not fond of.

Like, that almost ruined the whole thing, by the way. Yeah, insecurity's not a good look. I know.

I know it's frustrating. It's been frustrating for me too. But a conversation is all it needed.

You can talk to me about pretty much anything. Yeah. Okay.

So, game plan. Let's get through this, because this has just monopolized our entire lives for weeks. We're almost at the end.

Once we get through it, we'll grab a coffee, talk not about this, the project, and we'll see. Okay? Are we good? Yeah.

Yeah, I mean it. We're good. Okay? Alright, now we have a million things to do.

So as much as I hate to say it, let's get back to work. Thank you.