Ask a Manager

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Leaving right after my manager gives me a huge bonus from her own money I’m curious about the optics of leaving my organization after receiving a large commission-based bonus. Long story short, about a year ago, my current boss told us that she would be […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My husband called my boss, and now my boss wants him to show up in person so he can chastise him I was denied the right to take my son to the hospital while he was ill and vomiting. My husband called to inquire about […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Coworker thinks our manager is a narcissist and is doing her dissertation on it I am part of a very small team, it’s just me, my colleague, and our manager. Our manager (John) replaced our previous manager (Pete) at the beginning of this year. My […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. How to mentor a very timid staff member I’d love some advice about how to help out a very timid staff member, let’s call her Hermione. Hermione and I have 1-1 weekly professional development meetings where I can offer support, mentorship, and advice. She is […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I be in a play where my character tries to assault my employee? I was recently promoted to my first management position. Shortly after I started my new position, I was cast as the lead in a community theater production. One of the songs […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworkers hold daily prayer sessions while we’re supposed to be working I was recently lucky enough to be hired for a job in my field (special education teacher assistant) at an amazing public school that has a wonderful and supportive culture. Our district recently […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss is pressuring me to attend a drunken weekend where I’d be the only woman I’m the only woman in our department. Our manager wants to have team-building contest where if you are one of the top performers, you get to go for an […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Is getting yelled at by angry customers just part of life? I studied accounting in school, then got hired for my first-post college job in the tax audit field (not federal; I have worked at state and local level agencies). Fast forward seven years, and […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My colleague won’t leave me alone after my former employee died I have been employed at my company for three years, although I spent one summer in college interning for this organization. One year ago, I transitioned from a supervisory role to my current role in […]

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My company is skin-crawlingly positive I am lucky to work for a wonderful company in a full-time capacity since I stopped being a college adjunct over two years ago. I love my company and the people that I work with and would never consider leaving. […]