How to control your anger at work

Dear WW: I’ve always had problems keeping my temper. Last week I blew up at something a co-worker said and pushed him. I was suspended for a week without pay. My boss tells me I have a problem, but I don’t know what to do. IT’S HIT THE FAN
Dear It’s,
Your letter reminded me of [...]

How to test your assumptions

Dear WW: My company requires that each salesperson develop projections for the coming year. I have a new boss and she ripped my forecast saying my assumptions were too rosy. But I based them on sales from last year, so they should be accurate. IT’S SAFE TO ASSUME I’VE GOT A PROBLEM
Dear Safe,
If you went [...]

How to work with women

DEAR WW: I work in an all-women office. I’ve never done that before. What should I know right from the start? GIRLS ROOM
DEAR GIRLS:
There was one conversation that I had with a woman that proved to me that men and women are from different planets. A woman told me that she knew that her boyfriend [...]

How to work with men

DEAR WW: I have spent most of my career working with women. I’m now working in a place full of guys. Help. MAN CRAZY
DEAR CRAZY:
A woman once told me that women are like a complex maze, full of unexpected twists and turns. And men are like an on/off switch. She then apologized. I corrected her [...]

How to increase buy-in among employees

DEAR WW: My team simply does the minimum to get by. I need them to work much smarter than this. What can I do to light a fire under them? NOT BOUGHT IN
DEAR NOT:
Did you hear about British garbage collector Tim Byrne? Hs is so committed to his job that for the last 11 years [...]

How to overcome your shortcomings

Dear WW: I took a hard look at myself and realized that my boss is right, I’ve got a bunch of weaknesses that I’ve never really dealt with before. Help! REALLY WORKING WOUNDED
DEAR WOUNDED:
A Madrid woman was trying to cook up a potion similar to something she read in “Harry Potter.” Unfortunately, her mixture of [...]

How to find a job that matches your values

DEAR WW: Is it really possible to get a job that you feel good about, that’s a fit with your values? ADD VALUE
DEAR VALUE:
Your letter reminded me of a conversation I had with a woman about plastic surgery. She said that she would never have a facelift, but breast-enhancement surgery sounded good to her. Intrigued, [...]