weekend free-for-all – August 23-24, 2014
It’s the weekend free-for-all. This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Have at it.
Read the full article →August 2014
a coworker sent a snarky email about me, people who hover over your computer, and more
It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. A coworker accidentally sent me a snarky email about me that I wasn’t intended to see How should I respond when a coworker intends to forward to a third party an email that was originally from me, where she has added snarky comments about my […]
Read the full article →dealing with callers who want short-notice appointments with my boss
A reader writes: I have a question about accommodating requests for appointments on short notice. I know every executive assistant says this, but my boss is very busy. I receive requests, sometimes only a day or two before, for her to attend a meeting or conference call that cannot be accommodated because her schedule is […]
Read the full article →open thread – August 22, 2014
It’s the Friday open thread. This post is for work-related discussions only. Please hold anything off topic for the free-for-all open thread that’s coming this Sunday. The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, […]
Read the full article →my boss won’t let me floss at work, leaving during the busiest time of year, and more
It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My manager won’t let me floss at work My manager has forbidden flossing in the bathroom at work, even in a stall! Her office has a view of the hallway to the bathroom. When she sees me, she comes out of her office to see […]
Read the full article →I was a test subject in a counseling session at work and now I regret it
A reader writes: I’m a entry-level development officer at a small graduate school. Our school houses, among other programs, a counselor education department. Yesterday was an important day in the counselor ed. department. The new class of counselors-in-training had their first hands-on counseling experience, which involved meeting with some (paid) volunteers for half-hour sessions. 30 […]
Read the full article →are you giving your employees enough feedback?
If you’re a manager, I can tell you with almost total certainty that you don’t give your team members enough feedback. I say this because the vast majority of managers don’t, so you’re not alone. The specifics of how this plays out vary from manager to manager, but most managers fall in one of these […]
Read the full article →company is giving us secret aptitude tests, new employees and dress code, and more
It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should my PIP have been kept confidential? Recently, I was put on a performance improvement plan (PIP). I didn’t receive any coaching about any of the problems it listed before it happened. I am writing a rebuttal for my personnel file to clarify some points. […]
Read the full article →how much talking in a meeting is too much?
A reader writes: I’m trying to figure out if I’m a crabby cynic or if I’m missing some genetic code that makes people enjoy sitting in meetings. I work in a very busy legal department in a non-attorney role. Too often I have observed that when a new process or other change is announced at […]
Read the full article →how to manage your boss
If you’re like most people, you have frustrations with your boss. If you’re lucky, they’re only occasional; if you’re not lucky, they might be daily. But whether it’s a boss who always cancels meetings with you or one who micromanages your every move, the secret to working together harmoniously – as well as keeping your […]
Read the full article →