My boss wants me to spend a good chunk of money on something that I think is unnecessary during a time when our department is being watched for excessive expenditures. I'm the one who buys everything and has the credit card. But I want to make sure this purchase doesn't come back on me. Is there a protocol or common form that I could have him sign to show that he's responsible?  -- Linda

I have a new boss and she is so unorganized. She has piles and piles of papers and complains that she can never find anything. How do I get her to organize her desk? -- J

Question: “My boss just piles work on his desk willy-nilly. I organized it once, but now he expects it again. How do I get him to tidy up his own desk?” — Anonymous

Question: “I just started as the executive assistant to the senior vice president. I have administrative assistant experience, but this is my first time being an executive assistant. When I sit down on a one-on-one meeting with the boss, I feel really tense and can’t seem to think straight. I don’t say a whole lot because I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing. He is a very nice guy, but I just feel intimidated by his title. How can I feel more comfortable around him?” — Anonymous 

Question:  “My immediate supervisor recently left the organization. As a result, I now report to the agency director. In our one-on-one meetings, he often seems bored or distracted. I always take extra time to prepare adequately for the meetings.
I come ready with possible resolutions to any problems and facts to back up my recommendations.  All this preparation is usually met with a very brief response or a push off to another manager.  When I asked whether he’d like me to run everything through another manager before coming to him he responded, “No, I want you to report directly to me.”
I am a very independent worker. Despite this independence, I would like some direction once in a while. I can’t help but feel devalued as an employee by his actions. What can I do to make our meetings more engaging?” — Anonymous

Question: “I am a secretary. We have eight directors in our agency. Two department heads routinely are late submitting their work before the deadlines. Our president knows they do this, but does nothing. When they miss their deadlines, it affects my ability to meet my deadlines. Unlike them, I do get into trouble if I miss my deadlines.  What can I do?” — Anonymous

Question: Administrative Professionals Week is April 19-25, and we’re collecting a list of the craziest things bosses have asked administrative assistants to do. What’s the most unusual or bizarre thing you’ve been asked to do?  Give us your best stories. We’ll compile the best and publish them in our Administrative Professional Today newsletter in April.— Forum editor

Question: “I need an easy way to print out or give my boss the meeting schedule for the day. Previously, we have tried 3x5 index cards with appointments and small notes about each appointment (very small and crammed).We have tried printing out the actual calendar for the day (very bulky). Any ideas?” — Anonymous

“Last year I gave my boss a nice, monogrammed business-card holder for his desk. He never acknowledged it and doesn’t use it. What now? Food, fruit or something for the entire family?” -- Diane

Question: “Our department is expanding and hiring additional staff and two new managers. My previous boss was promoted to a new higher-level position, and I was promoted to be her assistant (new position). We’ve worked tirelessly to support the new staff, including the new managers. I have difficulty understanding one of the new managers because she has a heavy accent. When she’s not satisfied with something, she just talks faster. She is not satisfied with my performance and has asked me to stay and help her assistant in setting up meetings. I have refused. Now she has reported me directly to HR. It is a power struggle. How do I solve this problem but still keep a good working relationship? I have received nothing but good performance reviews for the past 20 years. I am afraid I might lose my job.” — Hilary

Question: “I work in an office with all men.  My boss is wonderful except he forgets that I am part of the team too. Recently, he gave all the guys a hooded sweatshirt with the company logo on it and failed to give me one. I don't want to sound selfish, but I would like to have one like the rest of the office. What is the best way to handle this situation with the boss without sounding greedy?” — A team member too

Question: “My supervisor has memory lapses from time to time. He will give me only partial instructions and then get angry that I did not do things that he forgot to tell me. He really thinks that he didn’t forget. How do I handle this?” — Anonymous

Question: “Our boss is contemplating moving to a four-day workweek to combat the higher gas prices. However, she doesn’t plan to include the administrative staff in this move.  We have a total staff of only six, two being administrative staff, so we could shift our schedules to have an administrative person in the office all five days.  Any advice on what I could say to her?” — Lyndsey Bell

Question: “I am the administrative assistant to the vice president.  I have been with the company four years and recently had a wonderful annual review; however, the pay increase was not so wonderful.  I have researched the local job service office, and according to its web site, I should be making about $3.55 more per hour for my position and experience.  That’s more than $7,000 annually.  How do I approach my employer and let it know I am not being compensated fairly?  I have been underpaid since I began working for the company and my workload continues to increase.” — Administrative Assistant to VP

Question: “How can I deal with a boss who constantly makes demeaning and belittling remarks, only gives partial instructions on what he wants or needs and has to know exactly where I am at all times?” — Anonymous

Question: “The executive I support always asks for my opinions regarding changes to office setup, administrative support staff duties, logistics for meetings, etc., which I honestly give.  These requests for my opinions occur repeatedly (5-6 times over a few weeks).   He then ignores my comments and does what he wants, stating "let's try it my way" which when translated is "we are doing it my way."  This is extremely frustrating.  I've now resorted to not offering my opinions, which he interprets as noninterest on my part.  This is being reflected in my annual review with negative comments and affects my compensation.” —Eunice

Question: “I support the CFO and VP of Corporate Services in a company of about 200 employees. My boss is a great guy, but he’s not happy about back-to-back meetings every day, nor does he appreciate the heavy use of e-mail. How can I help connect him to those who feel the need to meet with him without increasing his appointments or his e-mail? I fear this overload on him will end up reflecting badly on me come review time, even though I meticulously manage his calendar and e-mail.” — Marie

Question: “I am a full-time working mother of two children, one is 4 years old and the second is 21 months. Recently, I proposed a flexible schedule at my job so that I could pick up my 4-year-old from preschool, Monday through Friday.  I currently work until 4:30 pm and my children go to bed at 7 pm.   Does anyone have any ideas on how I can propose this to my boss in a way that sounds good to my boss and works for me?” — Tracy Fehd

Question: The company I work for had an office/staff restructuring about a year ago. I was hired as the office administrator. My boss is also new. He tells me that as an administrator, I should administrate. When I do, he doesn’t back me up and inevitably he goes in the opposite direction and has me jump through hoops only to end up right back where I started.

I’ll say, “the sky is blue.” He’ll say, "No ... the sky is green, and why don't you study up on the green sky and get back to me on why it is green." Then he’ll come back a week later and say “the sky is blue” and a week later ask me how the “green sky” is going.
How should I tactfully and professionally tell him I’m frustrated and it affects the way I get things done? I am very confident in how I do my job, but to be honest, there are times when I'll question if the sky really is green. —  Paula

Question: After my boss said to me, "If anyone calls here and wants something done, give the call to Mary or me because we are the only ones who do anything around here," I just turned and walked away trying to ignore what he said. What would have been the best way to handle this? —Anonymous

Question: I will be working with a new director soon. When I meet with the new director, I would like to ask the right questions in order to get to know his work style or what he expects of me. I would like help in asking the right questions so I know what he expects. For instance, the information that I placed on my former boss’s Outlook calendar may not be what my new boss would like on his calendar. Another question might be how he prefers me to handle mail, for example, date stamped, placed in folders, etc.

What other questions should I ask?  -- Anonymous

Question: It's my boss. While he is a very intelligent man, he spends too many hours a day playing games on the computer instead of completing his work. Last week, he had some priority jobs to complete. When I asked him about it, he said he was Christmas shopping.

I have called him on it and told him he isn't fooling anyone; we know when he's not working. I've told him that his delaying completing his work is affecting my work. He nods sheepishly but does nothing to improve the situation.

Some of his work relates to getting clients to pay their bills. It all seems to work out in the end, but I'm at my wits' end and don't know what to do anymore. The four other men in the office do their work, but a lot of what my boss doesn't finish affects them, as well.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I would appreciate your help.  -- Kim

Question: I work for a business owner as a bookkeeper and assistant office manager. I also am referred to by others as the business owner's secretary.

I don't have a problem with having so many roles at the office, but I do have a problem with all of the personal and family errands I'm sent on. I take members of the family shopping and pick kids up at school. I adore the family but I get so behind on my work at the office.

I have brought this to my boss's attention many times, but I feel like I am just making excuses for not finishing work on time. I also feel like this is holding me back professionally, as I have not received a raise in more than two years and I don't feel very productive. I know what I could do if I were allowed to.

My boss has told me that he trusts me so much and that's why I'm the one sent to help with personal matters. Fine, but I'm tired of watching all of the other employees excel and receive raises and bonuses.

What should I do?  -- Ann

Question: I work for a boss who’s so busy, I feel like I never get to speak with him unless I walk (or sprint) down the hall with him on the way to his next meeting. We do occasionally meet one on one, but his travel and meeting schedules are so jam-packed that we haven’t been able to set up anything regular.

His interpersonal skills aren’t the greatest; he may not be comfortable in one-on-one meetings.

On top of the fact that this makes it difficult to do my job sometimes, I’m worried about my career. How can he know that I’m doing a good job unless he’s around to hear about it?

Does anyone have advice for working around a boss’s unavailability?  -- Anonymous