Alex and Melinda

I could see myself enjoying Alex as a manger and not. Then again, I think every employee enjoys and does not enjoy their managers. Specifically if I were Melinda I’d find my self-enjoying his positive feedback of him saying, you are one of the top five sales people in the company. I think he is quite savvy for having Melinda, a top sales person with the cultural back ground, and same ethnicity sent to do sales in Mexico and Brazil.

Not to mention, she can relate to the customers as well as maybe speak their language making the process easier, creating relationships, and making the customers feel at ease. Also I like Alex because he listened to Melinda offering to help her with the issue of traveling alone. He could have easily said he would send one of the other top sales people out there. Now that I stated why I like Alex I will say I don’t like him.

What does it take for Alex to implement something? Its clearly stated she wants to move up because she knows what she is worth Alex is trying to help her fill in a sales management position at 32 when most are in their 40’s when getting this position. Yet another reason why I like him. Couple by the fact he basically tells her there is not a position for her in upper management, he states ,” upper management is taking a long time to warm to the idea of her advancement in management.” I feel this has to do with her being a woman.

Melinda I like however I find she should face her problems that are causing the figures to drop instead of what sounds to me so far are excuses. I don’t know if she realizes by Alex giving her the opportunity to have sales in Mexico and Brazil this is helping her move up in the company. She seems like she has been a very hard and efficient worker yet recently she is letting her “sickness” take over because she didn’t know she dropped figures by 40 %I feel at one point she loved her job and now she is more money oriented by the fact of her saying, “ If I get the numbers back up, what can I expect?” Earlier it was stated she didn’t want to share her bonus with another sales person, therefore that’s where my money-oriented conclusion comes from. I think it doesn’t matter that she is the top 5 in sales the fact she missed three very important sales appointments and didn’t mention it to anyone in advance isn’t professional. When this happens she isn’t only representing her self but the company.

Additionally he avoids her question as why there are not any women in management by asking her questions on her problems. He should be honest and not beat around the bush 3) Gender ethnicity has a lot to with the first scene. She states no one in upper management is listening to her because management consists of all men therefore not understanding how difficult it is for her to have the territory being a woman. As I mentioned earlier Alex made a comment of upper management having a hard time with the prospect of her moving to upper management, I feel its because she is a woman. The reason being is because Melinda stated there are no women in management. Also when Melinda asks why aren’t there any women in management, Alex only stated “ generalities” and no actual reason implying its simply a gender or ethnicity role.

Performance- has a major part in the scene since this is how the video began by Melinda coming into the office to discuss why her figures have dropped 40 %. Not to mention again she missed three critical sales appointments, which obviously is bad performance. Sales are performance. 5) My feelings while watching this scene is understanding where Melinda is coming from having the territory of Mexico and Brazil being a woman. I personally though would not admit to a group of upper management men I couldn’t handle sales because I am woman. If she wants to move up she needs to be able to take on any problems and prove to them she can handle things therefore being able to handle them. I think she needs to be more honest and direct with her boss because I feel she isn’t telling him based upon how insistent she is with wanting her problem addressed. Honestly, I like Alex more than Melinda.

I relate most to Alex. I’m a woman who has worked in the restaurant industry for a few years now and has dealt with gender roles before. I never played the “ I’m not getting treated fair because I’m woman card” My mom always taught me demand you respect and work as hard as you can. I have and at certain jobs I moved up in positions. I think Alex knows the gender roles going on but is trying to give her the hard way of learning what needs to be done which in the long run is helping Melinda. If she can deal with this then she will be able to deal with much more once she gets her management position.

As Alex, I would have fount out why she has been missing work especially the three critical sales appointments. I’d make it a point to find out why her numbers are down as well especially if they haven’t been down like that since 10 years ago. I would think she could handle the territory therefore moving her to a different region and having someone else come in or have another sales person go in with her and have them work together.

Melinda has not bee heard, as I said earlier Alex was beating around the bush with his responses to her questions.

I think Melinda has a few concerns and issues worth talking about. If the issue is safety then she should be blunt and say it therefore actions can be taken . In some conversations it sounded she was blaming since she was a woman she wasn’t being heard in her new territory with customers, implying she works a lot with men. If I were Melinda after working there for 15 years I would want an upper management position addressing it as well. He stated there were no positions available so she has to wait. I think if it’s a real problem she could always leave and with her being top 5 she must have a good resume. However I’d wait it out and see if there really isn’t any room or if it’s the fact she has a different ethnicity or her being a woman.

I really enjoyed it. I definitely was not expecting this. I can’t wait to finish the remaining scenes Scene 2

My feelings are wow!!! I did sort of have an idea when she mentioned in scene one she doesn’t know when she wakes up in the morning if she will be sick. Anyways, 6 months pregnant and she has not discussed this with her boss. I cannot believe that she thinks it is her business to not let her boss know that she is pregnant. The the nerve to ask him for additional time off (not actually asked just states) and a pay advance when her performance has been so low. She put Alex in a very difficult position with upper management. Does she not realize her actions are showing the results of her boss. OI would think after working there fore so long she would he the respect for Alex to tell him.

What has she been doing? No orders have been placed in the last 2 months. She says she is waiting for the conference for commitments, what happens to all the missed orders? Think of all the money that is not being generated in the company. She barley lets him speak. She interrupts Alex every time he spoke She seems like she does not care much. If she was having all those problems before as a single woman traveling, what will she do know with a baby? She didn’t reassure her boss of anything. The lack of communication from Melinda proves to me that she is not ready to move up in the company and take on more responsible roles. My feelings have not changed. I think in scene one he truly cared about her and was trying to help. I don’t know how Alex feels besides hurt and betrayal. If he had any doubts before I think they have grown especially when he said he doubts that she can close the deals at the pending sales conference.

I am sure he has a huge amount of pressure on him because of the way she has decided to go about this situation. I think he unsure about Melinda based upon actions and doesn’t know if he can rely on her (moving her away from the top she isn’t responsible and seems to be thinking of her self.  Yes, definitely as soon as I had an idea of being pregnant I would get it checked out. Next after guaranteed I would let my boss know it’s the right thing to do. Then again people have different opinions on what is considered right, obviously Melinda. As Melinda stated in scene one the company feels like family therefore if I felt that way would even be more of a reason to let them know. If Alex were aware of this he could have had back up plans for all her screw-ups. I found he handled it okay. He seemed shocked. I feel he needs to discuss this with his upper superiors. Then they can handle it or turn it to Human resources and let them handle it appropriately.

I also think he has some emotions towards her beyond work letting his emotions maybe effect his decisions on what to do. 5. Ethical I think is the choice she mad of not telling her boss about her pregnancy. 6. I think she is in no position to ask for any of those requests. She isn’t eve asking more of demanding. She could have addressed him differently and could have actually asked. Performance plays a big role in this situation. Sales were already down before he found out she was pregnant. He told her how critical these sales were. Instead of dong all she could to improve her sales, she was just irresponsible not being able to handle her personal life and work life. I still identify with Alex. When you are running a company, you have to do what is right for the company.

If Melinda would have been honest with Alex in the beginning, he could have helped with a backup for the days when she was out or have sent someone else in her place to Mexico or Brazil. Not knowing makes the company look irresponsible for the missed calls, missed sales, and missed meetings. Also I’ve never been in a situation like that nor pregnant. I don’t know my first reaction was NO. yet she is the most familiar and has the language and cultural background. I would send someone with her to learn the territory and meeting her clients. I would continue having that person with her so when she leaves or shows irresponsibility again there is a new sales person that has a familiar face to the customers Alex side. Melinda is just immature because of the ay she handled thing. Alex actually has real problems to deal with her because of the way she dealt with things. He needs to find out about her maturity leave and then find out her intentions. He also needs to get figures up again, he has a lot of weight on his shoulders

Scene 3

I did not expect that! She should have never been threatened by Desilva to sleep with him or lose half of the business. Hello, have some respect for yourself no business is worth that. I hear of a lot of sales people doing that actually and its so sad. She should have addressed this with her boss immediately or tell him he isn’t worth the business if that’s what he wants. Alex could have handled it. She was not acting professional and made some bad decisions. I would not send her to the upcoming sales show. I would go and try to talk to Desilva myself. I would tell him that Melinda would no longer be his sales associate I would assure him that his new sales associate will be someone he can work with.

I would leave Melinda out of the conversation because it has nothing to do with business. I doubt that he would have pulled his sales out from the company if she did not sleep with him. Her action has diminished the face of the product that her company represented. Oh and I don’t like that she tried to blame Alex by saying if he had an assistant for her like she asked the situation wouldn’t exist, I highly doubt that. I don’t think it has to do with the fact she is in Brazil the situation could occur anywhere. I think that’s an excuse and her not wanting to admit he faults. Its always easier for people to blame others . .