I’m the smelly coworker by Alison Green on October 22, 2018 A reader writes: You’ve had several letters about how to tell a coworker or subordinate that they have noticeable odor. Well, yesterday I was on the receiving end of that conversation. My manager told me that multiple people have mentioned it to her, and she has noticed it as well. I’m mortified. I shower every […] Read the full article →
me, talking about awkward conversations and politics at work by Alison Green on October 12, 2018 If you wish you had a magic wand that you could wave to get your boss or your coworkers to change their behavior without you having to actually, you know, talk to them about it, you are not alone. I recorded a piece for the BBC about how people shy away from even minor conversations that […] Read the full article →
how do I keep people from using way too much of my boss’s time in meetings? by Alison Green on September 26, 2018 A reader writes: I’m a career executive assistant and pretty good at my job, but I struggle with keeping my boss’s calendar. I support high-level people, so I am inundated by requests for boss’s time, from internal and external folks. I can’t tell you how many people ask for “Just 10 minutes, REALLY!” who I […] Read the full article →
how do I get over losing out on a promotion? by Alison Green on September 25, 2018 A reader writes: I’m struggling to deal with my emotions after my teammate was chosen for a promotion ahead of me, and I was given vague feedback. I’ve worked for my company for two years. I’m on a team of two, and recently we both interviewed to become the lead of our team, because our […] Read the full article →
how can I brace myself for my toxic new job? by Alison Green on September 17, 2018 A reader writes: After searching for over three months, I finally received a job offer. I accepted and will start in a week. While I am happy to have the offer and will take the job, I am a little wary. Since accepting the offer and letting a few friends and family members know I […] Read the full article →
I showed up drunk to a work event by Alison Green on September 11, 2018 A reader writes: I’m a college student who has struggled with alcoholism for about a year now. Around the time I started to abuse alcohol, I had just finished a year-long internship at a small company. Throughout that internship, I made valuable connections with staff members, all who said I left a great impression and […] Read the full article →
more people cry at work than you think by Alison Green on September 4, 2018 If you’ve ever cried at work, you probably felt mortified – and you might not have realized how far from alone you are. While we tend to think tears have no place in an office, the reality is that a lot of people cry at work at some point in their careers. That shouldn’t be […] Read the full article →
how much is it my responsibility to remind coworkers of deadlines? by Alison Green on August 29, 2018 A reader writes: In my current position, I do a lot of writing for my department and for my organization. I’m relatively new (I’ve been here a few months) and I’ve been adjusting to working for a larger organization with processes for review before work is published. My problem is that my work must get […] Read the full article →
how can I write warmer emails without resorting to emojis? by Alison Green on August 15, 2018 A reader writes: What tips can you offer to “soften” the tone of business emails without the use of emojis? I tend to be direct in real life interactions, possibly erring on the side of blunt. Putting niceties in emails to others feels like a waste of their time, but some feedback I’m getting across […] Read the full article →
do I have to teach my coworkers my hard-earned skills? by Alison Green on August 13, 2018 A reader writes: I am the go-to person in my office for managers and coworkers for all things Excel. I am a senior data analyst. I have taught many of my coworkers (other analysts) many things about Excel and have helped them out with their own deliverables that require spreadsheet expertise. I have gotten a […] Read the full article →