To sign or not sign the boss’s name?

• September 29, 2008

Your boss asks you to sign his name on correspondence on his behalf, without putting your own initials next to his signature.

Get Tough With A Toxic Employee

• August 27, 2008

Question: "One of my employees has a toxic attitude. He criticizes co-workers, blames them for his problems and argues about everything. His rude and insensitive emails...

Ridding The Workplace Of Rumors And Gossip

• August 25, 2008

Riddle me this: What's something everyone does and is impossible to stop? The answer: Gossip! Just because there is nothing you can do to completely eliminate it from...

When The Boss Throws More Than A Temper Tantrum

• August 13, 2008

Question: “My boss recently got upset with a co-worker about some problems with customer orders.  To get her attention, the boss reached across the desk...

My boss is losing it: How do I overcome this?

• August 08, 2008

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...

Shutting Down The Office Motormouth

• August 06, 2008

Question: “One of my employees is a good worker, but she’s a real motormouth. “Brenda” talks nonstop to anyone she can corner, repeating the...

We can handle Chatty Cathy, but what do we do about Whistling Willie?

• July 18, 2008

Question: “We have a co-worker who is cooperative, personable, cheerful and a great employee. But his whistling is driving our office up a tree. Some people find...

My Boss Says I'm Moving Too Fast. Now What?

• July 09, 2008

Question: “After only five days in my new management job, my boss says I’m changing things too fast and need to slow down. But I haven't changed...

My Co-Workers Resent My Promotion: How Do I Effectively Manage?

• June 18, 2008

Question: “My boss is promoting me to supervisor, but several co-workers are unhappy about it. Ever since he told them, a few people have been very nasty to...

‘Gloom and doom’ co-worker badmouths everything: How do I make her stop?

• June 13, 2008

Question: “Due to downsizing and others leaving the company, an immature co-worker was promoted to a low-level managerial position. Despite her new position, she...

When The Boss Hires An Incompetent 'Good Friend'

• June 04, 2008

Question: “My boss hired his ‘good friend’ as a top-level manager. This woman has no qualifications for the job, and she’s making costly...

A legacy built on the 80/20 rule

• May 01, 2008

Everyone can cite some version of the 80/20 rule. We can thank Joseph Juran for the advent of the 80/20 rule. He concluded that 80 percent of effects flow from 20...

Restroom etiquette? Whatever happened to “clean up after yourself”?

• April 18, 2008

Question: “I am an admin for a major corporation (group of 100 people, 75 % women). In addition, I am the facilities coordinator for two floors.  My problem...

Overworked and underpaid: How do I ask to be fairly compensated?

• April 11, 2008

Question: “I am the administrative assistant to the vice president.  I have been with the company four years and recently had a wonderful annual...

The staff treats admins like doormats: How do we get respect?

• February 28, 2008

Question: “How can I handle other staff who treat administrative assistants as the low people on the totem pole? Where I work, admins get little or no respect...

How do I get my opinions to count when the boss asks but never listens?

• February 28, 2008

Question: “The executive I support always asks for my opinions regarding changes to office setup, administrative support staff duties, logistics for meetings,...

Office birthday luncheons: Do I have to attend?

• February 21, 2008

Question: “Our department acknowledges birthdays by taking the birthday person out to lunch. The person gets to choose where to eat and the entire department...

Ever heard of television etiquette in the workplace?

• February 21, 2008

Question: “Our company recently installed a television in the break room. My boss asked me to find something online about television etiquette. I...

How do I ask my boss to stop announcing my doctor’s appointments?

• February 08, 2008

Question: “How can I tactfully and respectfully ask my boss to stop announcing my doctor’s appointments to other employees? I cover for other areas,...

Do you need to silence an office buttinski?

• January 25, 2008

Question: “I supervise our receptionist/secretary and share an office with her. When the director or other staff members come into the office to speak to me...