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Year: 2010

Managing the peer-to-boss transition

Question: “After a recent promotion, I have two former peers reporting to me. Supervising them has been very challenging. ‘Terry’ frequently comes into my office to gossip, and ‘Ellen’ refuses to recognize me as her boss … If I constantly remind them that I am now the manager, I’ll look like I’m full of myself. How do I handle this?”

Get constructive feedback

When you want feedback from the boss, don’t ask, “Was my work on the project OK?” Instead, ask, “What could I have done better?” or “If you could pick one thing that I could have done better on that project, what would it be?”

Travel sites

Check luggage limits and pinpoint other travel details with these two helpful web sites: LuggageLimits.com and VirtuallyThere.com.

Calm an angry caller

Instead of raising your voice to match the caller’s volume, speak softly. That will soothe the speaker and show him that you’re interested in handling the complaint in a calm rational way.

Office etiquette: Showing concern for a co-worker’s ill spouse

Question: “My husband had cancer surgery six weeks ago, and I have been on leave from work to take care of him. Although there are 30 people in my office, only three have contacted me to see how we’re doing. I’ve always had a good relationship with my co-workers, so I’m extremely hurt and disappointed by this treatment. I can’t seem to get beyond these feelings. When I return to work, I know people will ask about my husband. Since they weren’t there when I needed support, I have no desire to discuss his health with them. How should I handle their questions?” — Angry Wife

You: The secret workplace weapon

Administrative professionals could be a secret weapon in helping companies bounce back from the recession. New research by OfficeTeam and the IAAP shows admins are moving beyond their traditional roles to take on responsibilities in areas such as cost control, technology and the use of social media, hiring and corporate social responsibility.

Lose the weak words

Speak and write more powerfully by avoiding intensifiers. “Very,” “really,” “truly,” “basically,” “essentially” and “fundamentally” add little to your sentences and can weaken your message.

The trouble with a ‘Sunshine Fund’

Fran’s work group plans to start a “Sunshine Fund” to buy gifts for special occasions, such as birthdays, weddings and baby showers. Her co-worker, Dan, wants to post a list showing the dollar amount contributed by each employee, but Fran thinks that’s a horrible idea. How can the team structure the fund so that people who can’t afford to contribute won’t feel obligated or embarrassed?