Table 1:
Negative Narrative Types
Optimist/Reformer:
Joan of Arc
Realist/Doing Time:
Sisyphus
Cinderella and
the Evil Step-boss
Alice in Wonderland
Keys/Motivation
Actively seeking a better world
that is just, proactive, fair, and
professional
Serving a sentence, or
instrumentally getting they
need (money, skills)
New supervisor
New Role Issues in supervising
others
Voice
Fighting against being silenced
No voice, or very limited
No voice, or very limited
Yes with subordinates but little
support, guidance from above
Agency
Yes, Believe change is possible,
they can make a difference
Leaving as a choice, but no
hope for changing the system
Leaving as a choice, no hope
for changing the relationship
Yes, but limited
Engagement
Yes, but burnout big possibility,
fighting hard
No, doing time
Diminishes quickly
Yes, but needs tools, burnout a
possibility
Other
May leave if feel overwhelmed
or transition to being a realist
Ethical issues of “looking
busy,” tortured or bored
Micromanagement & Trust
issues
Multiple roles
Strategies
Fighting the organization,
legal/organizational resources,
trickery, forging alliances
Resistance to socialization
Fight or withdraw (transfer or
quit), may use formal voice
mechanisms
Trial and error – treading water
Convention