my boss says I’m too much of an “open book” emotionally by Alison Green on April 17, 2019 A reader writes: I work at a medium-sized pharmaceutical company. I have direct reports and also work with associates who don’t report to me, but carry out work I create. I have had problems with Lola, a talented associate who can be (by many accounts) thin-skinned. She has a way of speaking as though she […] Read the full article →
should I pretend to be bad at work I hate? by Alison Green on April 10, 2019 A reader writes: My partner offered me some surprising career advice the other day and it’s been weighing on my mind since. I had been venting about a bad week at work. I have ended up with a really tiresome and time-heavy task that has nothing to do with my actual role in the business […] Read the full article →
am I annoying my coworkers by asking for a ton of context on everything? by Alison Green on April 9, 2019 A reader writes: I am three months in at my new company, and I’m the newest member of a team that only came into existence about nine months ago. There are tons of growing pains/opportunities/whatever you want to call them, but I’m really energized by the atmosphere and I’m generally thriving (as is the team). […] Read the full article →
how can I recover from a huge, fireable mistake? by Alison Green on April 3, 2019 A reader writes: Yesterday another coworker and I made a careless mistake that may have huge results. Among other things, our company may lose a contract because of our error. Our mistake was probably a fireable offense and certainly one that merits being written up. I think the only reason neither of those things has […] Read the full article →
can I use dark humor at work? by Alison Green on March 18, 2019 A reader writes: I have a dark sense of humor. I now realize that my boss does not. During a standard “how was your day off” conversation between my supervisor, manager, and a few peers, my manager mentioned that he was a chaperone for one of his kid’s field trips to Gatorland. Naturally, I asked […] Read the full article →
I’m scared to tell my boss how behind on work I am by Alison Green on February 26, 2019 A reader writes: I’m awake at 2 a.m. because I’m ashamed to say I’m six months or more behind on my work. I work in the accounting department of a service organization, keeping the books for multiple clients. Back in June, my department migrated to a new software that none of us had worked with. […] Read the full article →
I work long hours but don’t want my staff to feel pressure to do the same by Alison Green on February 5, 2019 A reader writes: So, I work a lot. I try to keep a healthy work/life balance, but I really like my job so the scales definitely tip toward the work side. Sometimes it gets a little too tipsy, especially recently due to some fluctuations at my workplace. Recently I have taken over the management of […] Read the full article →
how can I fix my procrastination problem? by Alison Green on January 28, 2019 A reader writes: I have a bit of an issue with procrastination at work. And when I say a bit, I mean I’m extremely anxious and constantly terrified I will be fired and it’s kind of ruining my life. I should probably seek therapy for the anxiety bit, but I would still like to know […] Read the full article →
how can I stop freaking out if I get a curt-sounding email? by Alison Green on January 22, 2019 A reader writes: I’m definitely a relationship person at work and maintain a warm tone in my emails and most interactions with people. I know there are different work styles, but I really struggle with receiving curt-sounding emails. I worry that someone is mad at me or that I’ve done something wrong even when, most […] Read the full article →
how do I stop my desk from looking like a tornado hit it? by Alison Green on January 17, 2019 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I have never been someone who is good at keeping tidy. I have what many refer to as “an organized mess.” I know exactly where everything I need is, but my desk is by no means orderly. I’ve noticed that my coworkers are all able […] Read the full article →