Ask Your Boss: I am Going on Vacation Either You Let Me or Not!

“I have an employee that on several occasions since she started here almost three years ago gets very defensive and combative at times. It seems to happen when I’ve had to speak firmly to her or inform her of something she doesn’t like the answer to. The most recent was when she came in and told me what days she’s taking for vacation (without previously getting the ok, and I also found that she had already booked tickets) I let her know she did not have sufficient vacation to cover…

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Ask Your Boss: When a Boss Doesn’t Deal With an Office Bully

“I am in a unique position. I am an onsite vendor working for a client. The job is going pretty well except for one thing:  One of the members on our small team is very difficult to work with. My client boss has taken me aside and apologized for the way this person has treated me i.e. super passive aggressive nit picky emails. My client boss said she would talk to this person. The rudeness has continued. Now my client boss has said that it is my responsibility to work…

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How to Deal With Office Assholes

Every office has assholes who spoil everything for everyone. They annoy us. They upset us. They drive everyone crazy. It takes a certain personality, a certain talent to do what the rest of us view as appalling, disrespectful or plain crazy, and get away with it. The good news is that we don’t have put up with these office assholes. The bad news is that it is not easy to confront them.

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Unsent Letters To My Employees: Four Months of Nothingness

Remember that project I assigned to you four months ago? Four. Months. Ago.

I remember the day we talked about this project very vividly. You looked very attentive, listened carefully, nodded your head as if you understood everything. You were even taking notes. I believed you. For once I put all my pre-conceived notions about you behind us, and I believed you.

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