Shanetta Cutlar: Ten Tips for Aspiring Divas
Some of you disagree, but we consider the Justice Department's Shanetta Y. Cutlar to be a great diva. Based on the term's origin in the world of opera, we define a "diva" as a woman of tremendous talent, whose ability is matched only by her difficult temperament.
By this standard, Shanetta Cutlar qualifies. In terms of talent, SYC has risen to a position of great power and prestige within the DOJ. She has been highly successful and effective in that post, efficiently moving a huge caseload, and advancing the federal government's civil rights agenda.
As for her temperament -- well, we don't need to remind you about that. We've filled many pages with tales of how SYC runs the Justice Department's Special Litigation Section ("SPL"). These stories have come from former employees, both lawyers and staff members, who have worked under Ms. Cutlar.
The more we post about Shanetta Cutlar, the more tips flow in from disgruntled ex-employees. One recent email provided a lengthy enumeration of SYC's alleged foibles as a manager.
We took the substance of that list and reworked it, transforming it into SYC's Ten Tips for Aspiring Divas -- the kind of thing you might see as a sidebar in Cosmo. You can check it out after the jump.
The substance of the list below is taken from an email we received from a former SPL employee. We have merely converted it into a top ten list of imperatives.
1. Verbally abuse employees and embarrass them in front of their colleagues. Speak to them as if they are children in grade school.
2. Slam doors. And I mean LOUD!
3. Pass by employees like the wind, without acknowledging their existence. But ream them out for failing to acknowledge you.
4. Question, monitor, or deny requests for leave usage ["leave" is government-ese for "vacation"].
5. Carefully track the arrival and departure times of disfavored employees. While keeping basic track of employee productivity is something that any competent supervisor should do, an obsessive focus upon it can be used to drive unwanted staffers out the door.
6. Have a long memory for errors and slights. You never know when a dredged-up recollection of a mistake from several months ago might come in handy.
7. Send nasty emails to people, with a strong tone.
8. Use lieutenants liberally to carry out your dirty work. Deploy deputies to take charge of unpleasant matters and taunt line employees.
9. Avoid spontaneous conversations with employees about work issues -- and cut staffers off immediately if they attempt to initiate them. Always make them approach you through formal channels -- e.g., by scheduling meetings through your secretary -- so you can prepare in advance, and never get ambushed.
10. Treat no one as sacred. No one.
Our tipster concludes:
"Some may cheat death, but there's no cheating Shanetta. You are going to get it; the only question is when."
Earlier: Prior ATL coverage of the Special Litigation Section under Shanetta Cutlar
Comments
I hope the AG and the Prez are reading this website.
Roy Hobbes
Posted by: Anonymous | February 1, 2007 04:02 PM
We get it - you're obsessed with this woman. Get over it! She's not that interesting ...
Posted by: anonymous | February 1, 2007 05:20 PM
She IS interesting! Keep it coming!
Posted by: i heart syc | February 1, 2007 06:13 PM
This is one of the less colorful Shanetta posts. But I agree that overall she is a gold mine.
Posted by: Former DOJer | February 1, 2007 06:18 PM
The post could be better. However, my love for Cutlar the Cultar abides. Please, give me more!
Posted by: i <3 the cultar | February 1, 2007 06:44 PM
I'm curious as to how much of this stuff pans out. The career people in the Civil Rights Division are not without media contacts, yet nothing appears to have hit the press until Clevinger was axed. How much of the stuff since then is legit or mere sock puppetry?
Posted by: Long Time Observer | February 1, 2007 07:44 PM
How quickly you forget the admonition of the Easy Rider...
Posted by: Anonymous | February 1, 2007 08:17 PM
In response to Long, nonpolitical CRD lawyers are without media contracts by official policy and by professional contacts. In addition, the MSM has proven very uninterested in this type of thing. If it meant a big case was lost through incompetence, maybe they would take notice. But usually it just means a section is less effective overall and a bunch of people have a terrible boss. That's a yawner to the New York Times, even as careers are ruined unfairly. In addition, there is fear of retaliation -- if you give enough specific info to make it interesting, you are giving clues to your identity. Most of the stuff I have seen on this site has been the subject of conversation around CRD for years.
Posted by: CRD vet | February 1, 2007 08:24 PM
I have to be honest -- this diva thing, tongue in cheek as it is, annoys me.
I don't like to see people lauded, even humorously, for treating other people like shit.
It's NOT an enviable characteristic. And it should not be tolerated in the workplace.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 1, 2007 09:04 PM
Abuse of power is abuse of power, and Shanetta Cutlar is a notorious abuser who deserves to have her power taken away.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 1, 2007 09:22 PM
I understand this is controversial, but have their been studies done of the behavior of successful black women in managerial roles? I ask because of similar stories about black female congresswomen.
See, e.g. Reps Sheila Jackson Lee and Juanita Millender-McDonald in this WaPo Item at the Bottom of the page. And of course the now notorious former Rep. Cynthia McKinney.
Or do white men just get away with it more?
Posted by: Anonymous | February 1, 2007 10:11 PM
I'm interested in the SYC coverage and would like to see it continue, but the "SYC is a diva and her critics are whiners" routine is getting a little tiresome. If he's being facetious/ironic that might be okay except his letter to her ("I am a huge fan of yours") could be viewed as somewhat dishonest. If he actually feels her alleged behavior is acceptable that would call his judgment into question. Almost everyone (except Lat?) would regard these allegations as damaging to her reputation and not complimentary. It's hard to tell because he seems to give a conflicting signal in each post.
Posted by: ARC | February 2, 2007 04:03 AM
Shanetta Cutlar made her bed, now it's time for her to lie in it. In addition to being abusive, her actions ultimately are costly to the American taxpayers with the low morale and constant turnover. Plus I'm tired of people getting to where they are because they are filling a damn quota. That's the main reason she's there - the Republican party, having saturated the white vote, is trying to be all buddy-buddy with minorities now. It's all a load of crap.
Posted by: no sympathy whatsoever | February 2, 2007 02:04 PM
Shanetta needs no sympathy from anyone. She is an intelligent woman (as stated by T. Clevenger) with dignity and high esteem. It is the whinny, pathetic lawyers creating this debacle that needs sympathy. Perhaps Mr. Lat and these pathetic lawyers are not smart enough to realize that all this press coverage has illuminated Mrs. Cutlar's strengths and may just catapult her into a position of judgeship. Keep the stories coming as the Senate decides when and where she'll receive her confirmation.
Posted by: Life | February 6, 2007 01:06 PM
Anonymous: I am not aware of any studies conducted of the behavior of black women in managerial roles. However, no studies are needed. Take some time to talk to the black women in managerial positions who will tell you how often she humbles herself as her capabilties as a manager are questioned; the level of disrepect she receives from people who dear to question her authority; and how her authority is constantly being undermined. Last but not least, the black women in managerial roles will tell you that in order to maintain stability in her position, she must stand firm and rule with an iron fist in order to meet the challenges of Nazi-Conservatives who would rather see her in cotton fields than in a managerial role. The black women in managerial roles epitomize strength, courage and the unwavering determination to succeed at all cost. Instead of judging and slandering the black women in managerial roles, give them, including Mrs. Cutlar an opportunity to be heard. There are two sides (sometimes three) to every story. Everyone in American is entitled to due process before they are subjected to this sort of high-tech lynching.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 6, 2007 01:41 PM