One point of conflict in Investment Banking is compensation. If a team member is upset about the year-end bonus awarded her, she will need to tactfully communicate about the issue in order to resolve it.
Topics of Invention in Investment Banking
A typical persuasion scenario for an investment banker is when she attempts to persuade her boss that she deserves a larger bonus. Here is a fictional case study to illustrate. Let's say a year-end bonuses are distributed and a female team member finds out that she has received less of a bonus than the male team member at her same level. The female team member could approach her boss and say something like the following:
"I am grateful to be a part of this team, I know that we have accomplished amazing deals this past year and we have all contributed a lot to that. You and the other VPs have done a great job setting up deals for us analysts to work on, but I know that all the analysts, even Joe and me, the first year analysts, have enjoyed working together. The Associates can attest to my timeliness and quality contributions to the deal work. I want to ask for an explanation for the amount of my bonus. I understand that Joe received a larger bonus than I did. Joe and I started working here at the same time and received the same signing bonuses and first-year base salaries. We have both worked hard and contributed, taking the same number of vacation days and time off. Therefore, we should both receive the same amount for our year-end bonuses."
Analysis
This investment banker emphasized the structure of the office team, highlighting the whole/parts aspect of the topic of division. She also referred to witnesses as part of her testimony, and finished her thoughts on the circumstance by referring to the past fact of her and Joe's equality, and the future fact that said equality should be the foundation for compensation distribution.
Good job Jessie. I hope that women are not continuing to face inequality in the workplace. Another special topic of invention she might use to plead her case is the topic of right vs wrong. it is not right two people who have worked the same amount doing the same thing different prices. It is morally wrong to pay a woman less than a man for the same type of work.
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