This excerpt from the book, "Talk from 9 to 5: How Women’s and Men’s Conversational Styles Affect Who Gets Heard, Who Gets Credit, and What Gets Done at Work," written by Deborah Tannen, implies that an indirect or soft approach to issuing directions in the workplace may solicit a better response than a direct command. She provides an example of a directive issued by a male manager to a female employee and a second example of a detailed conversation between a female manager, whose style of delivering a directive is notably ‘softer’, and a male subordinate. Ms. Tannen supports an indirect approach that offers employees an opportunity to make a decision to accept a command cloaked as suggestion.
The tone of the text suggests that male managers are more direct in communicating instructions in the workplace, and that female managers negotiate with employees to accomplish objectives. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many women in management positions feel the have to prove themselves to their male counterparts and, therefore, take a firm posture when dealing with subordinates. The example of a ‘soft touch’ management style is often ineffective. Who do you know that has the luxury of debating with a boss over the content of assignments, male or female? This kind of exchange can be perceived as insubordinate behavior. Even if appropriate justification is offered, generally an employee is not allowed the liberty to engage in a lengthy challenge to a request made in the workplace
What about employees who have a tendency to take advantage of managers that exhibit a soft management? Who wins when poor work ethic is discovered the workplace relationship is broken?. The manager is now forced to move to a more rigid style of management, productivity is affected and you have an unhappy employee.
Ms. Tannen’s writing offers a perspective from the manager and employee standpoint. Although she spends much more time presenting the example of indirect management, she offers a contrasting opinion in paragraph five by stating, “Some people will find Mark’s direct commands more appropriate; others would find them abrasive. Some would find Kristen’s indirect directives congenial; others would find them irritating.” Her position on the issue is obvious as the reader considers the positive comments made toward the conversation between the ‘soft touch’ manager and her subordinate. Ms. Tannen is very critical of the possible perception that managers with a direct approach may have to a ‘softer’ style. She states, “People with direct styles of asking others to do things perceive indirect requests as manipulative—if they perceive them as requests at all. But “manipulative” is often just a way of blaming others for our discomfort with their styles.” The examples discounting manipulative behavior are noted to convince the readers of her assumptions and personal interpretation.
In the end, addressing employees with respect does add great value to the workplace and keeps organizations in compliance with labor laws. Without question, managerial suggestions with solid feedback from subordinates could offer professional growth for the employee and maybe the manager as well. Unfortunately, it is probably the exception, not the rule.
The poem ‘A Modest Proposal’, written by Jonathan Swift in 1729 was a form of sharp satire pointing out the problem of widespread poverty and a lack of action on the part of the monarchy. The poem itself was a bit melancholy. However, he manages to assert his disdain for certain religious groups as well as presenting a morbidly detailed plan of action for consideration by the ruling party and the wealthy of Ireland. 
Ellen Goodman’s article, ‘Girls Will Be Girls,’ written in 2002 for a nationally syndicated column, addresses issues that are in the forefront of today’s society. The sarcastic introduction of the article was a great way to get the reader’s attention and to lead into the rest of the text. She puts in perspective the actions of ‘RMG’s (Really Mean Girls) that have recently made their way to the mainstream media. Goodman accurately points out that it is viewed and described differently if similar actions are conducted by boys. Ellen Goodman simply points out that boys and girls are the same. It is an act of bullying no matter how the story is told. Cattiness, backbiting, jealousy and contentiousness are just a few terms to describe the behavior that Ms. Goodman is referring to for girls and almost every girl has experienced this in one form or another. 
T. Leigh Maxwell, a student at Clayton State University (CSU), wrote a very thorough, thought-provoking essay on the effects of secondhand smoke in March 2010. She emphasizes the fact that Clayton State along with many other institutions of higher learning has ignored this issue and the statistics and factual information presented was impressive. Ms. Maxwell points outs that although CSU does have a smoking ban policy, it is woefully insufficient and does not protect the health and human rights of non-smokers navigating from building to building on campus. In fact, the essay contains quotes from various reports, both governmental and private research, that imply that the toxins in exhaled smoke are extremely harmful, not only to the smoker, but to the innocent non-smoker and raise the risk of contracting any manner of disease that can ultimately lead to death.