What to do when your boss puts your career at risk
A new manager joined my company about a year ago and he appreciated my efforts. However, he kept asking me when I would take a step up, as he thought I wasn’t really appreciated or being delegated to wisely. Later on, he requested to have me promoted up two levels. I didn’t get the promotion and he was disappointed. He bad-mouthed the company and told me to resign to threaten my director into promoting me. I refused to resign and lost his trust, which resulted in me being withdrawn from my core duties. I’m now assigned to “coach” three senior managers with the title of executive. What can I do?
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What do to when ideas are crushed
I attended a workshop recently that stressed the importance of innovation in the workplace. The speaker made a lot of sense and pointed to examples of hugely successful companies that flourish because of their openness to ideas and collaborative work culture. Then I returned to work the next day, to the reality of an environment that is the complete opposite of these ideals – where obeisance to bureaucracy and keeping one’s head down are the only ways to succeed. Is there any way an individual employee can change that mindset?
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Fed up with admin chores?
I am a fresh graduate working as an admin assistant at a luxury brand. I’ve been annoyed lately, as I’m not stretching my abilities. I know we have to start from the bottom, but my supervisor told me I won’t get a lot of exposure right now and there’s no way of avoiding admin duties. He even messaged me on a weekend to reserve a restaurant table for him. I don’t see a career path. Do you think it’s too soon to decide?
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Hard choice looms over office sexism
I work in a male-dominant environment. My male colleagues use subtle jokes and innuendos, referring to clients in gender-based derogatory terms. It sometimes seems like they forget I’m there. They act worse out of the office at business lunches and dinners. And when I told them kindly that I didn’t like it, they thought I was joking. So I told them seriously – dead silence and isolation followed. I don’t want to come across as an aggressive, easily offended feminist, but talking to my boss and HR is not an option. How do I get along with them in a nice but assertive way?
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Can I still be a gentleman?
This whole political correctness thing is getting mad. My company has strict equality and diversity policies. I’m not a nasty person, but sometimes I get a sarcastic look when trying to be a gent by holding a door open for a woman at work. But when I didn’t volunteer to help out one day when a lady from another department was moving things for an event exhibition, another female colleague shot me a harsh look. It’s hard being a man these days; how am I supposed to know where to draw the line?
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Know when it’s time for a change
The longer I stay in my role, the more stagnant my career seems. There just doesn’t appear to be a road map for career development. My duties have become so routine. What can I do to shake things up? Or is the only way to find an employer that can offer me career progression?
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