This question came from a busy professional. Being a manager how do you deal with rude and difficult team members? This is difficult because often it’s a manner of perception or perspective. What some employees deem rude may seem “direct” or “accurate/precise” to others. What some employees find difficult may be diversity in the work place. Not many of us...

This question came from a busy professional. My boss told me that she expects my work to be flawless when she checks it and I responded “okay” with a smile. She told me to stop smiling. How should I have reacted? This is a sticky situation. Don’t Judge If this is uncharacteristic of her, then she may be having a...

This question came from a job seeker. How do you work with someone who refuses to respond to emails because it creates a paper trail? The first rule of good business is to keep a paper trail of all official business interactions. It will save you much frustration and miscommunication. If someone is afraid of a “paper trail” – it...

This question came from a busy professional. How do I thank my boss for a pay raise? I received a good raise because of my excellent performance over the years, but I wasn’t gushing over it. I had been with the company for about 8 years, and was the manager of two teams: the test and documentation groups. I received...

This question came from a busy business owner. What are the signs indicating that an employee is about to quit? Keeping a good employee It’s hard to tell if an employee is thinking of quitting, but to avoid losing good employees and performers, do the following: Setup one-on-one twice monthly meetings to discuss career opportunities and advancement options Identify each...

This question came from a busy business owner. Should I stop contacting a customer who isn’t responding to my emails or phone calls? Two months ago, we sent our response to a bid. I’ve been trying to get feedback and follow up with the customer, but they have gone silent. I’ve tried reaching them by email and phone. How long...

This question came from a busy business owner. I have an employee that spends all day on his phone, but he always gets his work done well. Other members of the team are annoyed by him. Do I fire him? I am sure that “spends all day on his phone” is an exaggeration, but I get your point. I have...

This question came from a busy business owner. How do you handle a disappointing raise at your job even though it was a productive year, all while your boss’s excuse was there were too many good employees? The best way to handle disappointment is to be prepared with the following knowledge: Knowledge of your skills, talent and expertise value in...

This question came from a busy business owner. How do you confront a boss who keeps asking you for more than your responsibilities? There are several things you can do to take charge over your own career and professional development path. First you need to fully understand your job grade, role and responsibilities for that particular role and the role...