Ask a Manager

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I feel like a failure because a project was moved to another team I received an unexpected meeting invite today and was surprised our manager would take time away for a meeting when we were in a dire time crunch on a major project for […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Was I wrong in this email squabble? I have a question about a little email tussel I recently ended up in. I am a contractor for a professional services agency and was working on a project for a client. Part of my work includes using […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I manage a manager who makes too many assumptions about everything I manage a manager, Jane, who openly for all to hear assumes motivations for our clients, consumers, and employees on everything. It’s not only unhelpful, but it also is incorrect. For example, we had […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Coworkers message me “hi” with no indication of what they need I find myself very frustrated with many of my coworkers. We use Teams, and I often receive messages that just say “Hi Name.” If I’m available, I can respond right away and get to […]

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My boss keeps asking for rides home I work in my company’s marketing department. There are only five of us, including our boss (an executive president at the company). He knows that out of all of us, I live the closest to him. His truck […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. If I send someone home for being too high to work, should I stay late to finish their work? I’m a closing manager at a restaurant. Several Sundays ago, I found myself staying an hour late to finish stocking and cleaning. When my GM asked […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Sharing a house with the boss on a work trip I work for a small company of four people, including our boss. We are all remote. There is an upcoming conference in my city where the three of them are flying in. We have several […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I walked in on two managers in a compromising position I am a newly hired manager. Today I was asked to visit a storage building to pick up some items for staff. I arrived at the building and noticed two other managers’ cars. I unlocked […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Pregnant employee is lying about doing her work One of my employees is pregnant and has been having a long series of issues at work since the beginning of the year. It shouldn’t matter, but just in case, I am a woman. However, I’ve never […]

I’m off today. Here are some past letters that I’m making new again, rather than leaving them to wilt in the archives. 1. Ouija board decor at work I share an office with two other coworkers who seldom see — I work nights, they work days/my days off — so I don’t know them well. […]