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The first Chapter in Sias, “Organizing Workplace Relationships”, contends that all
organizational activities occur in the context of interpersonal relationships. Relationships are the
coworker, workplace friendships, romantic relationships and customer relations. Sias outlines
four different theoretical perspectives that give us different lenses with which to view workplace
relationships; the theories are: Post positivist (objective, rooted in scientific method), Social
socially constructed systems of power, control and domination), and Structuration (duality of
supervisor-subordinate relationship, Walter was my “boss” and I the subordinate. In dealing with
all other assistants, he was authoritative and directed. Because of my hybrid position, I was an
analyst and a financial planner, the rules did not necessarily apply to me. I created my own rules
within the confines of the space. Looking at Critical theory, I was able to move the socially
constructed system of power that pervaded the organization and adapted it to meet my needs.
For example, it was important to me to work part-time: I was a single mother and my children
got off of the school bus at 2 pm, I wanted to be home when they arrived, so my workday was
adapted to an 8 – 2 schedule. No one else in the Company worked those hours. Additionally, I
took the month of July off (this without pay). I did not accept that hours were not flexible, and
so I negotiated and was able to alter the politics and power structure in the office.
Using a Critical theory perspective to identify the various methods of power, control and
domination at NML, I see a male dominated workplace. Males were in charge, and even though
it was six years ago that I worked there, the mindset was almost mid-20th Century (where the
women were deferential to the obviously superior male leaders, where the classic sales
sporting prowess at the water cooler, off color jokes to liven meeting down-time. Women were
outside of the power structure, useful and valued only where their skills impacted the 90% male
sales network. Even female salespeople were marginalized. Their coping strategy was to play
the game, accept the secondary status, and use the resources available to excel for personal gain.
They created their own external support network which, in my opinion, allowed them to function
within the confines of this chauvinistic organization. I, too, worked within the system, followed
the lead of the women I admired there, and struggled against the power politics because of my
personal financial goals. I was able to work there for three years, until the trade-off became too
much for me to accept; I quit when I could no longer protect my core self from the malignancies
of that workplace.
relationship was brittle, non-authentic and transaction based. I enjoyed my peers and coworkers,
but could not relate to their ways of dealing with the difficult work environment (over the three
year period, turnover was so high that for one position I interviewed/trained/worked with over 20
people, all of whom I helped pack up and was on good terms with when they left). Believe me,
there were no romantic relationships. Customer relationships were warm and cordial. With all
my time at NML, the workplace relationships that survived longer-term were born out of a
common view of the oppressive nature of the organization. Two friendships, with two different
women at two different levels within the Company, were forged as a result of enduring the
hardships together, bonding against a common enemy, and having a similar, critical views of the
organization. We were able to continue the friendship outside of work, and both friendships last
to this day.
Critical theory is not concerned with managerial effectiveness, but rather with
institutional oppression and exploitation. I can say that NML was not managerially effective,
that my contributions to the Firm and my “boss” were driven by my personal desire for
excellence and integrity. I gained what I needed, accommodating working hours and a good
paycheck, for that I endured what felt to me like oppression and exploitation.
References