From the category archives:
Q: My supervisor loves to tell stories about her grandkids, and it’s really cutting into my workday. How can I get her to stop? A: You can’t! Your supervisor does have a certain amount of authority to hold you hostage. Plus, it’s simply gracious to listen some. Be grateful that her obsession is grandkids and [...]
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Q: My coworker prints two copies of everything–”just in case.” How can I get her to be more eco-conscious? A: Polite prodding is the right way to eco-educate your coworker–to a point. You could say, “Joyce, as you may know, the environment is one of my big causes. I hope you don’t mind my mentioning [...]
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Q: I get so grossed out by the state of the bathroom at work–the clogged toilets and wads of paper towels on the floor. Should I put up a sign asking people to be neater? A: Check in with your supervisor or office manager and say you’re wondering if the bathroom cleaning service needs to [...]
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Q: A colleague is back from maternity leave, and my boss is dumping a lot of her work on me. Should I grin and bear it or talk to my boss? A: Speak up. List all the tasks you’re handling and ask your boss for advice. Document the chat in a memo. Still drowning after [...]
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Q: A friend at work wears tons of makeup–badly applied. I hear colleagues poking fun behind her back. What should I do? A: Speak up–sensitively: “Karen, I love working with you; you’re a great friend and colleague. I hope you don’t mind my input, but I’m concerned that your makeup might be too much for [...]
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Q: Someone keeps using the vanilla coffee creamer I store in the teachers’ lunchroom fridge. I may sound petty, but I’m annoyed. A: Ah! The food thief strikes again! You’re not being petty; it is annoying. If you don’t know who it is, try a couple of approaches: First, tape a friendly reminder onto the [...]
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Q: A coworker often tells me I look tired–and it offends me. What should I do? A: Humor is usually the best way out of this kind of conversation, so making a joke of it is a good choice. Say: ” That George Clooney really wears me out!” Or, you can respond cheerfully in a [...]
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Q: At work functions a colleague always has one too many cocktails; people call her the “office lush” behind her back. I’m worried she’s jeopardizing her job. Should I say something? A: Yes. If she’s a friend, it would be a kindness to tell her that her behavior is hurting her professional reputation. Don’t expect [...]
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Q: My cube mate at work talks so loudly on the phone that I can’t concentrate. How can I nicely ask her to tone it down? A: It’s all in how you deliver the message. You might want to wait until you’re on the phone, too; then put your own call on hold and say [...]
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Q: A colleague calls in sick at least once a month, but she’s confided in me that she’s really playing hooky. What should I do? A: Tell her it bothers you. Say something like, “Ellen, I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep taking sick days when you’re not sick. And it’s unfair to [...]
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The Gift of Good Manners
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