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Year: 2014

When the boss’s OS seems out of whack

Q:  “My manager, ‘Chad,’ is very approachable. Earlier this week, a co-worker and I decided to clean up our rather cluttered office area. We left three boxes of trash neatly stacked next to the wastebasket. The department looked much more professional, so we expected Chad to be pleased. Instead, he sent a nasty email saying that the maintenance staff is not paid to clean up after us. I replied that we would remove the boxes and ‘would have done it even without your crappy email.’ Later that day, Chad came into my office and angrily exclaimed that this was not an appropriate comment to make to one’s manager. I apologized, but would like to discuss the matter further. However, I’m not sure what to say.” Concerned

Who’s your active supervisor when you’re away?

Q: “I have frequently been told that one of my employees extends her lunch hour whenever I am out of the office. If I question her, she acts insulted and says that the timecard is correct. Her co-workers are starting to become resentful, but since I’m not here to witness these absences, I don’t know how to solve the problem.” Stumped Supervisor

How to get ‘Yes’ to your request

Research from Stanford Uni­­ver­­sity found that people who fear asking others for favors may be stifling their own chances of getting a “yes.” Get the most from your requests with these tips from blogger Jessica Stillman.