Whatever you do - don't call her "Liz" ...

[Jolie Rouge]

June 17, 2009
No name-calling

If you want to score a meeting with Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), know this: His scheduler/office manager, Elizabeth Becton, is to be addressed by her full name — not Liz or any other variant.

An executive assistant at McBee Strategic recently learned this the hard way. A few weeks ago, the assistant e-mailed Becton seeking a meeting with McDermott and a client, JPMorgan Chase. Days later, the assistant checked back in and unfortunately began the e-mail with “Hi Liz.”

Becton curtly replied, “Who is Liz?”

When the assistant wrote back with an apology, Becton turned up the heat. “I do not go by Liz. Where did you get your information?” she asked.

The back-and-forth went on for 19 e-mails, with the assistant apologizing six times if she had “offended” Becton, while Becton lectured about name-calling.

Becton told the assistant that if someone said using “Liz” was acceptable, then “they are not your friend”, and “If I wanted you to call me by any other name, I would have offered that to you.” Plus, it’s “rude when people don’t even ask permission and take all sorts of liberties with your name,” she said, adding: “Please do not ever call me by a nickname again.”

But the tirade didn’t end there. Becton continued her riff — responding that the assistant “got played” by someone who was trying to “tick” Becton off. Becton’s final, searing missive stated: “In the future, you should be VERY careful about such things. People like to brag about their connections in D.C. It’s a pastime for some. It’s also dangerous to eavesdrop, as you have just found out. Quit apologizing and never call me anything but Elizabeth again. Also, make sure you correct anyone who attempts to call me by any other name but Elizabeth. Are we clear on this? Like I said, it’s a hot button for me. And please don’t call the office and not leave a message. My colleague told me you called while I was away. ... I do sometimes leave my desk.”

McDermott spokesman Mike DeCesare told us Tuesday, “An apology is being issued as we speak,” adding, “This isn’t reflective of the way we do business in this office.”

Here’s a redacted version of the exchange:

From: X
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 11:38 AM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: JPMC Meeting Request

Elizabeth,

Attached is a meeting request for JP Morgan Chase who will be in DC June 3rd-4th and would like to request a brief meeting with the Congressman.

Let me know if you need any additional information.

Thank you!

Best,
X

___

From: X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:05 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Liz,

just checking in on whether the Congressman is available next week. [REDACTED] can confirm a meeting time for you - she is available at [REDACTED].

Thank you!

Best,
X

_____

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:07 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Importance: High

Who is Liz?

Elizabeth Becton
Executive Assistant/Office Manager
Office of Congressman Jim McDermott
X Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

____

From: X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:07 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth, I thought you went by Liz - apologies if that is incorrect.

Best,
X

_______

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:08 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

I do not go by Liz. Where did you get your information?

___________


Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:10 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry if I offended you! I thought you had gone by Liz at Potlatch, this was my mistake.

Best, X

_____

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:11 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

NEVER. I hate that name.

_____

From: X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:13 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry if I offended you! I must have mis-heard.
My mistake!

Best, X

____

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:20 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Importance: High

X:

If I wanted you to call me by any other name, I would have offered that to you. I think it's rude when people don't even ask permission and take all sorts of liberties with your name. This is a real sore spot with me. My name has a lot of "nicknames" which I don't use. I use either my first name or my last name because I row with a lot of other women who share the same first name. Now, please do not ever call me by a nickname again.

As for your meeting request, who is the point of contact for this meeting? If it's not you, then I need to know who because it's very time-consuming to deal with a lot of people for one meeting.


_____

From: X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:23 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth, I'm so sorry I offended you! My mistake!

X can confirm a meeting time for you - she is available at XXX XXXX.

Thank you!

Best, X

_______

[UNRELATED EMAILS REDACTED]

From: X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:33 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Of course! Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I must have mis-heard and it was in no way my intention to make you upset. I always enjoy working with you and seeing you at the WSS events J

Best,
X

_______

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:37 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Sounds like you got played by someone who KNOWS I hate that name and that it's a fast way to TICK me off. Who told you that I go by that name? They are not your friend...

_______


From: X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:38 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth,

Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I don't want to cause trouble as I clearly must have mis-heard the person at Potlatch. It was in no way my intention to make you upset.

Best,
X

______

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:41 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request
Importance: High

I REALLY want to know who told you to call me that.


_________

From:X
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:44 PM
To: Becton, Elizabeth
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Hi Elizabeth,
Again, I am sincerely sorry for offending you. I don't recall who I overheard. It was in no way my intention to make you upset.
Best,
X

______

From: Becton, Elizabeth
Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 6:04 PM
To: X
Subject: RE: JPMC Meeting Request

Let me put it this way, they don't know me and perhaps they were PRETENDING to know me better than they do and pretended that I go by Liz. They did YOU a disservice.

In the future, you should be VERY careful about such things. People like to brag about their connections in DC. It's a past time for some. It's also dangerous to eaves drop, as you have just found out.

Quit apologizing and never call me anything but Elizabeth again. Also, make sure you correct anyone who attempts to call me by any other name but Elizabeth. Are we clear on this? Like I said, it's a hot button for me.

And please don't call the office and not leave a message. My colleague told me you called while I was away at the Ladies' room. I do sometimes leave my desk.


http://www.politico.com/blogs/annesc...g.html?showall


I guess "Beth" would be out of the question ?

I can think of a few names to call her ... "Psyco" ... "Whacked" ... a couple that would just get *** out anyway .... :

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[justme23]

I have a cousin like this. She gives her children these lengthy names and then yells at EVERYONE who would dare to call them by the short version. That's not what she named them and if she wanted them caled that she would have named them as such... it drives me bat sh*t... oh well.

[Bahet]

When we named our boys we specifically chose names that didn't have shortened nicknames. DH is Robert but goes by Rob. He HATES being called Bob. We get telemarketers calling and saying "Hi, is Bob around?" I know right then that they don't know us. My name is Janette. Rhymes with Annette. It is NOT Janet. DH and I both correct people when they call us by the wrong name but we are kind about it. We certainly do not harp on the issue. Sounds to me like this assistant needs to realize that her job is to assist, not to be a *****.

[pepperpot]

I wish I had Liz's email addy......I'd email her..... What a psycho.

[ElleGee]

My Samantha really cannot stand being called Sam... To piss her off I call her "Sam I am' from Dr. Seuss hehe

[meltodd69]

I can think of some great names for LIZ!