Surviving coworkers who are slackers

What’s your strategy for dealing with a slacker?
Your Rant: Everyone has always called me a type-A personality. Recently I realized that it wasn’t a compliment, most people just thought I was a jerk. I’d like to change, but I don’t even know where to start.

911 Repair,
If I had to pick a favorite type of [...]

Outsider or insider, who is more effective?

What’s your strategy for becoming the inside guy with your boss? 
Your Rant: The following is an e-mail from a reader who went from being a “rebel” to being a “mole” (he defines a mole as someone who works alongside his boss to make change from the inside). I think his e-mail raises interesting questions about the [...]

I’m a rotten boss-I want to be a great boss

What’s your strategy for being a great boss? 
Your Rant: According to a recent 360 evaluation, a number of my people said they don’t feel comfortable talking with me about their problems. My boss just dropped this in my lap without offering any advice on how to fix it.
911 Repair:
Your e-mail reminded me of how [...]

Do you bring people together or divide and conquer at work?

I read a great article on Karl Rove, a.k.a. the President’s Svengali. In the article it talked about the fact that in politics there are two kinds of people-”lumpers” and “splitters.” Lumpers try to build the biggest possible coalition to get the policies they want while splitters use wedge issues to divide and conquer the [...]

How committee’s really work (or don’t work)

Dear WW: Recently my boss asked me to sit on a new committee. I work in a warehouse and have never done anything like this before. Any tips? NEW TO THE MEET MARKET
Dear Meet,
There’s a tree house at the end of my block. It’s a regular architectural masterpiece, with gables, shutters and a shingled roof, [...]

How to deal with someone you think is lying

DEAR WW: I’ve never caught my co-worker in a lie. But my gut says that he is seriously truth-challenged. Is there anything that I can do to ensure that he’s telling me the truth? FACT FINDER
DEAR FINDER:
A consumer recently sued Kraft Food over its Guacamole dip. It turns out that the dip contains less than [...]

Going positive, how to create great relationships at work

What is your strategy for creating positive work relationships? 
Your Rant: Most of the people who work where I do don’t get along. There is a ton of carping and complaining. I’m just one person, but is there anything that I can do to create a better workplace?
911 Repair:
Reading your e-mail reminded me of four [...]

Bringing manners back to work

 What is your strategy for bringing manners back to work?
Your Rant: No one answers email, phone calls or letters anymore. What ever happened to basic manners and consideration at work?
911 Repair,
Recently I was going to dinner with career guru and author of “What Color Is Your Parachute?” Dick Bolles. (If you haven’t read Parachute [...]

Meet market, making meetings work

What are your strategies for making meetings more effective? 
Your Rant: I hate meetings. Let me say that again. I HATE MEETINGS. Can you suggest any strategies to avoid them so I’ll have more time to get my work done?
911 Repair,
Scientists used to believe that homing pigeons used the sun to find their way from [...]

Meaningless meetings abound-I want to debrief!

What is your strategy for making meeting work?
Your Rant: I feel like we make the same mistakes in our company over and over again. We have long meetings and discuss all kinds of possibilities but somehow nothing changes. What can we do to actually turn all that hot air into action?
911 Repair,
Your email reminded [...]