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Archive for June, 2007

How do you get rid of bad managers?

Friday, June 29th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, Why don't people go to the human resource office and complain? Because they are afraid of retribution. I moved to Florida from Illinois in 2005 because my husband got a faculty position. I had a very successful career in Illinois with excellent job evaluations. I got ...

Subordinate keeps jumping over my head…

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I am assistant manager in a hospital setting, employed here for 10 years. Get along well with my director. However, this young girl who started here about 5 years ago as a part time person, became very close with my boss. Now 5 years later she is doing special ...

Part II: No one else has the guts to stand up…

Wednesday, June 27th, 2007

Linda Kaplan Thaler, co-author of The Power of Nice, and CEO of The Kaplan Thaler Group has answered the letter below. Read the Office-Politics book review on The Power of Nice. Dear Office-Politics, Here's my job situation: I work as a subcontractor for a government agency, who I'll refer to as Alphabet. ...

Part I: No one else has the guts to stand up…

Wednesday, June 27th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, Here's my job situation: I work as a subcontractor for a government agency, who I'll refer to as Alphabet. There are about 15 subcontracting companies on this project, but one is considered the 'prime' since they have the most people here, and I'll refer to them as the Company. Now ...

Dealing with a Queen Bee and a chameleon

Tuesday, June 26th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I work for state government in a bureau of about 20 people. Prior to my maternity leave about 3 years ago, there was a woman I was "friends" with up until the time I returned from my leave. She enjoys gossip (I really don't, but I used ...

Part II: Manager and her friends waste time chatting

Friday, June 22nd, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I work in a sales office of about 15 people. My question is, how do I sit back and ignore the office manager who is always chit chatting with a couple of the ladies in the office. They go out to lunch all of the time, taking an hour ...

I was the best thing since sliced bread. But then…

Friday, June 22nd, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I was the best thing since sliced bread. Pay raises, compliments, and promotion since starting my current job eight years ago. My manager left me to my own devices. I had a divorce and bankruptcy and as a result I took my eye off the ball. That behind me ...

Part I: Manager and her friends waste time chatting

Tuesday, June 19th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I work in a sales office of about 15 people. My question is, how do I sit back and ignore the office manager who is always chit chatting with a couple of the ladies in the office. They go out to lunch all of the time, taking an hour ...

A.D.D. interferes with my ability to change gears

Tuesday, June 19th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, This question is similar to the question asked by Stunned and a little Lost. I have attention deficit disorder (A.D.D.) and it interferes with my ability to quickly assess situations and change gears. I get stuck on what I anticipated as reality rather than regrouping and dealing with the reality ...

Pros and Cons of Whistle-blowing…

Sunday, June 17th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I currently work for a large utility as a supply chain specialist. Our current regime of supply chain managers is mostly made up of “outsiders” which have very little experience with our corporation. These managers seem to be “gaming” the system in order to make themselves look good. ...

Casanova Boss fueling catty gossip…

Sunday, June 17th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, The situation in my office is most likely not a new one, but has served to create an unstable, and at times hostile working environment. We have a department equally divided male and female co-workers. Our boss is generous and likeable, however, he has created an atmosphere ...

Part II: Hell working for Narcissistic Editor

Wednesday, June 13th, 2007

Dear Office-Politics, I'm hoping you can give me some pointers on how to deal with a situation that has evolved in my work place. I started working for a publishing firm about a year ago as an assistant editor. At that time the editorial department had gone through a ...