my boss’s venting is stressing me out by Alison Green on June 30, 2020 A reader writes: When lockdown began, my department initiated a daily online catch-up, usually lasting about half an hour, to see how everyone’s doing and for important work updates. Originally it was a nice way to check in, and though I don’t think a daily meeting is necessary, I really appreciate the effort to keep […] Read the full article →
my boss won’t give me any direction — but then says my work is wrong by Alison Green on June 17, 2020 A reader writes: I’m hoping you can give me a script to help me deal with a frequent and frustrating situation I am in with my manager. Frequently, my manager will assign me a project and not give me very much instruction about how to do it. When I ask questions, she tends to get […] Read the full article →
my boss is telling people I quit because of COVID, but I quit because of her by Alison Green on June 15, 2020 A reader writes: I resigned from my leadership role at a small nonprofit in early May. The other person at my level resigned the next day. We both resigned because the executive director is a narcissist who was not only lying to the community we serve, but also making it virtually impossible for us to […] Read the full article →
my disgusting boss touches and chews on everything on my desk by Alison Green on June 8, 2020 A reader writes: My boss, who is a lawyer, is of the opinion that everything on my desk and in my office is his and completely fair game. It doesn’t matter if I bought it, brought it from home, or that I don’t want germs spread around the office — he thinks he can touch […] Read the full article →
I’m the only black person on my team and it seems to be “business as usual” this week by Alison Green on June 4, 2020 A reader writes: This has been a very difficult week for me. Right now, thankfully, we’re still being allowed to work from home if we choose. I’m the only black person on my team and the only non-white person on my team, and in every meeting this week I’ve just felt as if there’s this […] Read the full article →
my boss keeps interrupting our phone calls, and I feel disrespected by Alison Green on June 3, 2020 A reader writes: I’m writing in to ask about a communication issue I’m having with my direct manager. We’re a two-person team and in separate locations, so we’re often on the phone together at least once, if not multiple times, a day. She’s an executive (not C-suite) and I’m her coordinator. Recently, on the majority […] Read the full article →
my manager named Joseph Stalin employee of the month by Alison Green on June 1, 2020 A reader writes: Wouldn’t mind your take on this, as in all honesty I’m flummoxed by the most recent act from a manager who has, in my view, made a pretty major error of judgment. Unbeknown to us, she has began running an “Employee of the Month” program. No rewards other than an email, and […] Read the full article →
my boss wants to visit us during the stay-at-home order by Alison Green on May 27, 2020 A reader writes: I was hoping you could help me address a request from my manager. I work on a small team (five of us altogether) where we are all the same gender, around the same age, and have a lot of similar interests — the perfect makings for a traditional “friend group.” Except that, […] Read the full article →
my boss assumes we’re slacking off when we work from home by Alison Green on May 19, 2020 A reader writes: I work for a small company with about 10 employees working full-time in the office. We all report directly to the CEO, Phil. When the pandemic hit, Phil went into full panic mode and had us all move our desks 12+ feet apart, wash our hands every 20 minutes, sterilize everything in […] Read the full article →
my boss is working from home with kids — and his schedule is wreaking havoc on my work by Alison Green on May 7, 2020 A reader writes: My office has been working from home for about a month. We are fortunate to be among the few for whom this doesn’t really change our business, other than that we can’t be in the office. My problem is that my boss has become very difficult to communicate with and work with. […] Read the full article →