After 20 years of being a secretary, writes one administrative professional, she knows how to do the necessary work. That hasn’t kept her current supervisor or her supervisor’s boss—both women—from berating and intimidating her. The admin asks, “How can I learn to stand up for myself in a professional manner?”
“My boss is inundated with business cards,” writes an admin reader. “Some are in Rolodexes, others are loose. But he doesn’t want to weed through and toss old ones. Any ideas on how to organize them?”
Occasionally, your boss may ask you to do something that is against your better judgment. Admins must know how and when to push back on a boss. Scott Eblin, author of “The Next Level” blog, offers these suggestions:
Nearly every office has a person who shoots down ideas before they even get off the ground: the naysayer who always pinpoints the reason your idea won’t work. The only way to defeat a naysayer is to be ready for her. Know how to respond to every one of the blockades she puts in your way.
Streamliine email processing by having a single address for your boss and you.
Let your body language broadcast your confidence … Keep track of your “must read” pile with Delicious.com. It’s a particularly useful tool for longer-term storage of important articles, and you can access it from any device … On your résumé, list accomplishments, not just job duties.
Question: “I’m not sure how to handle my new supervisory position. Before being promoted, I was friends with my former co-workers, so I’m finding it difficult to tell them what to do … I know I have to demonstrate leadership, but I’m afraid this will turn me into an unlikeable person. After all, does anyone really like their boss?” — Nice Guy
Didn’t have the right snappy comeback to a colleague’s subtle put-down or the boss’s accusatory comment? “You have to be able to respond on your feet at work, and I think some people are becoming less adept at it,” says Kathleen Kelley Reardon. Some of her suggestions for comebacks:
Do you often text to communicate with colleagues or the boss? If so, keep your professionalism intact. Business communications trainer Barbara Pachter offers these suggestions for making texting suitable for business:
In theory, the word “ma’am” is a courtesy extended to women. But many women say it makes them cringe. In a recent poll by Survey Monkey, only two participants preferred the term “ma’am.” The best course of action? When in doubt, skip the courtesy term altogether.
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