Ask a Manager

This is a transcription of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “We’re All Awkward Creatures.” Alison: I have to confess, I really love awkwardness. That might sound like a weird thing to say, but I find awkward situations — including my own — really funny and entertaining, and in some way kind of heartwarming. My […]

This is a transcript of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “I Don’t Want to Become the Office Secretary.” Alison: Hi, and welcome to the show! Today I have lots of interesting questions to answer. The first question today is from someone who’s worried that she’s inadvertently becoming the office secretary, even though that’s not her job. Caller […]

This is a transcription of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “How do I start a new job on the right foot?”. Alison: Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking. Getting to know a bunch of new people and new information, learning a new culture, making a good impression, figuring out new expectations — all […]

This is a transcript of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “Where Are They Now? Updates from Past Callers.” Alison: Since it’s the end of the year, I thought it would be interesting to check back with some of the people who called into the show this year and hear updates from them about how their situations […]

This is a transcript of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “Holiday Mayhem at Work.” Alison: Welcome to the show! Today’s episode is all about holidays at work. We’ve got questions from people about office parties and gift-giving, and we’ve got some funny stories from people about ways that office holiday celebrations went terribly wrong. Let’s […]

This is a transcript of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “Will I Ever Find a Job I Like?” Alison: Today we have a bunch of interesting questions to tackle – including someone with an ethical dilemma, someone who isn’t sure how to answer a question that she keeps getting at new jobs, someone who’s pregnant […]

This is a transcription of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “The Weird World of Interviewing Teenagers.” Alison: I talk a lot at Ask a Manager about how to hire good employees and how to convince an interviewer to hire you. There are a lot of things that we take as givens when we talk […]

This is a transcription of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “How to Cope With a Work Problem You Can’t Change.” Alison: I get a lot of letters from people who are stuck in a difficult situation at work and it’s something that isn’t going to change — or at least they are not the […]

This is a transcript of the Ask a Manager podcast episode “Do You Have to be a Jerk to Succeed at Work?” Alison: Today I’m going to answer a bunch of shorter questions from people. Our first question is from someone who is managing people for the first time and wondering what the hell she’s supposed […]