pretending to be Canadian, and other Machiavellian triumphs at work by Alison Green on November 2, 2020 Last week, I asked about Machiavellian things you’ve seen or done at work. It turns out … there were a lot of stories. So many that I couldn’t fit my favorites in one post. Here’s part one, and part two is here. 1. The job hunting assistance At one of my first jobs after college, the […] Read the full article →
what’s the most Machiavellian thing you’ve seen or done at work? by Alison Green on October 29, 2020 We need a distraction, preferably one full of intrigue and drama. So let’s talk about the most Machiavellian thing you’ve ever seen done at work — self-serving schemes or manipulation that you watched being carried out (or carried out yourself!). We’re looking for stories of underhanded machinations, double-dealing, and conniving. Share in the comments! Read the full article →
starting a new job when you’re working remotely by Alison Green on October 22, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’ve just accepted my very first job offer and should be starting in a few weeks’ time. The job will be 100% remote due to COVID and I’ve been informed that the office won’t be re-opening until January at the earliest. Do you and/or your […] Read the full article →
I’m the lone progressive in my company — how do I deal with all the political talk? by Alison Green on October 15, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I work in an extremely conservative industry in a red state. While my city did flip blue in 2018, I believe I am the only person with progressive beliefs in my company. However, I keep that information to myself because political discussions can be very […] Read the full article →
how can I stay organized when I’m working from home? by Alison Green on October 8, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m an analyst, and we’re working at home during Covid. In the office, I used a lot of physical space to stay organized: white board wall, sticky notes, task lists, and I kept a lot of it in my head. Now that we’re at home […] Read the full article →
let’s talk about public service fellowships (AmeriCorps, etc.) by Alison Green on October 1, 2020 On last month’s post about the value of public service fellowships (AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA, Peace Corps, etc.), there was a lot of interest in having service corps alums share their experiences, for anyone considering the programs themselves. So, if you’re a service corps alum, please share your experiences in the comments: What did you like, not […] Read the full article →
do you miss your office? by Alison Green on September 24, 2020 We often think of working from home as a perk (you can work in sweats! with a cat in your lap!), but with so many people switching to remote work because of Covid, lots of them have discovered they don’t much like it. Part of that is because of the circumstances, of course: we’re in […] Read the full article →
I get emotional when customers yell at me by Alison Green on September 17, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I recently got promoted to assistant manager at an apartment complex and I feel pretty confident that I can do the job well. However, I know that whenever we have residents call in with complaints or we have people coming in and yelling, the calls […] Read the full article →
not over-sharing as a manager while trying to de-stigmatize mental health by Alison Green on September 10, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I have a direct report for the first time in my career. We are both young-isn, though they are a bit younger than I am. I am a naturally open, chatty person with a tendency to overshare in general, so your advice about distinguishing between […] Read the full article →
what is your company providing if you’re working from home? by Alison Green on September 3, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I was interviewing recently via Zoom for a remote role and the woman interviewing me (who is only a few months in at this company herself) had such a nice headset that I said something like, “Wow, that’s a great headset. I need to look […] Read the full article →