How to deal with a dismissive, disrespectful and arrogant employee?

My sister is making my work life miserable

My sister “Katty” got the job. Fast forward, Katty works here and has been making my work life miserable ever since. She constantly says inappropriate things in the office.” Franke James, Inventor of The Office-Politics Game responds: “Clearly your problem is not just office politics, it’s family politics too. Unfortunately, family politics can be even worse because it can last a lifetime… Let’s look at your options. You’ve said you’re prepared to lay down an ultimatum to HR. Either Katty leaves the company or you do. It sounds logical and decisive but is it smart politically?

I have one BIG problem in my new job: I have NO idea what I’m doing

Dear Office-Politics,

…I have one big problem in my new job: I have no idea what I’m doing, and no one will answer my questions.

I have found myself in an unfortunate pickle. In my haste to get a job after moving to a new city, I took a job that seemed perfect at the time. I had been in residential real state for 3 and a half years, and an investment banker with a small staff hired me to work on a special project that would make use of my skills in residential property evaluation, to aid him in the pricing and acquisition of mortgage loans. I was excited to learn a little more about finance.

Well, the project never took off and while I am grateful that he has kept me on staff, I am doing nothing but making cold calls regarding commercial real estate loans all day long.

The Office Crab Criticizes Everyone!

Dear Office-Politics,

I am writing on behalf of a group of diverse and hardworking coworkers among whom morale is at an all time low. Our often bumbling managers have a history of granting knee jerk behind the doors promotions, creating new positions without posting them and making surprise staffing changes. Some of us have had four different supervisors in five months. After a recent escalation of this behavior the office crab complained that these job changes were never posted. Alas, when a management job opened up, this time upper management briefly posted the job but quickly gave it to the complainer.

I thought I had an OK work relationship but

Dear Office Politics,

I have worked in a high-stress but free-wheeling media office for more than 20 years, and am good at my job, have OK people skills and am generally respected. I received a promotion about a year ago. However, since moving into a particular department (mostly other women) about 10 years ago, I’ve apparently stepped on a few toes because I don’t quite fit in with the group and have, on a couple of occasions, voiced my opinions on ethical issues that have cropped up. As a result, a couple of co-workers are cool to me, rarely speak to me and exclude me from non-work conversations. A couple more who are close to those two are also quite cool. The rest are neutral (or so I thought).

Swamped! (While Coworker Does Nothing)

Dear Office Politics,

Please can someone help me sort a work situation out?

For the past year I have been covering two full time roles, my own and that of a colleague on maternity leave. This has involved a huge amount of extra hours and unbelievable pressure. To make matters worse, I have now been told that the colleague will not be returning to work and that I will be expected to cover the two roles on a permanent basis.

My boss has agreed that I have been swamped with work and promises to arrange help but it never materializes due to lack of funds. During this time I have sat opposite a co-worker who has a very low workload (she actually boasts that she has nothing to do) and so spends a chunk of every day either surfing the internet, talking or texting. It has driven me to despair and and even though other colleagues have constantly asked how she gets away with this behavior, they do not complain to our boss. My problem is that I resent her attitude so much the only way I can cope is to completely ignore her, I just want to block her out. Another colleague has now told me that she plans to complain to my boss that I blank her, etc. etc. I know this makes me sound awful but it really is the only way I have been able to deal, or not, with her.

I don’t understand this obsession to know what everyone is doing, or to tell everyone what I’m doing

Dear Office Politics,

Your site is a great help in navigating today’s workplace! I’ve read about how you need to develop an online presence because employers will search your name to see what comes up. I’m a very private person and I’m at a loss about how to do this. I was raised to believe that your personal life was just that: personal. I don’t have a Facebook page and I don’t “tweet” whatever that is! I don’t understand this obsession to know what everyone is doing, or to tell everyone what I’m doing. Is there hope for someone like me who likes her privacy?

I have a website portfolio that I started, but it is listed under my last name and doesn’t come up in a random search. Is it enough to direct people to my homepage so they can see what I’ve done?
Thank you,
Private Patty