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• Stay Out of Your Boss’ Political Minefields

  I often talk about steering clear of talking politics in the workplace because you never know who you might offend. This is especially relevant during a presidential election year, when everyone has an opinion and doesn’t hesitate to share it. Kris Dunn Read More... Posted Monday, September 15, 2008 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 1 Comments Filed under: Communication, Current Affairs, Office Politics, Professionalism

• The Replacement Politics of Leaving a Job

  A WCW reader writes: “Dear Alexandra, I’ve read your advice about the right way to leave your job, and I think it’s good. Only trouble is, the people I work with aren’t exactly helping me out. I gave them six weeks notice so that I could find and train Read More... Posted Monday, May 19, 2008 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 0 Comments Filed under: Best Practices, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Office Politics, Professionalism, Troubleshooting

• What if YOU are the Jerk?

  Bob Sutton’s book, the No A**hole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't , has been generating buzz since it was published last year. Sutton, a professor of management science at Stanford University , argues that a**holes—those Read More... Posted Friday, April 11, 2008 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 1 Comments Filed under: Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Office Politics, People Skills, Professionalism, Troubleshooting

• If You’re Leaving, Should You Still Get Your Bonus?

  A reader e-mailed the following question: I recently gave my company a month’s notice as I planned to move to a new city and pursue a new career. A few weeks later, the company gave out the second installment of our bi-annual bonuses, and I did not receive Read More... Posted Friday, March 14, 2008 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 1 Comments Filed under: Best Practices, Communication, Office Politics, People Skills, Personal Marketing, Professionalism, Work

• How to Break Up with Your Boss

  In their January/February issue, Details Magazine has a provocative article on how to break up with a boss who’s holding you back. The article tells the story of Michael Rogers: “Michael Rogers had lunch or cocktails a couple of times a week with the Read More... Posted Wednesday, January 30, 2008 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 0 Comments Filed under: Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Office Politics, People Skills, Professionalism

• Holiday Etiquette at the Office

  Every year, I get asked by one media outlet or another how to handle the office holiday party. This year, I decided to share the advice I and others provided to the Wall Street Journal last weekend: “We spend so much time communicating on Blackberries Read More... Posted Sunday, December 16, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 0 Comments Filed under: Best Practices, Business, Office Politics, Professionalism, News and Politics, Work

• Tips for Surviving a Demotion

  Over at 45 Things , Anita Bruzzese talks about coping with a demotion at work. I was particularly interested in this post, because while I frequently discuss how to overcome work setbacks in general, I’ve never focused on the specific issue of demotion. Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 05, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 0 Comments Filed under: Attitude & Motivation, Office Politics, Professionalism, Reviews & Promotions, Troubleshooting

• The New Inane E-mail Forwards? YouTube Videos.

  Just when you thought the fad of forwarding silly or inappropriate joke e-mails to colleagues had run its course, along comes YouTube . Now don’t get me wrong: I think YouTube is the greatest entertainment invention since Nintendo. My favorite YouTube Read More... Posted Friday, October 26, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 2 Comments Filed under: Communication, Current Affairs, HR Issues, Office Politics, Professionalism, Technology, Daily Life, Workplace Humor

• Arm Yourself Against Workplace Affairs

  Anita Bruzzese over at 45 Things has an interesting post on workplace romance. While Anita does mention that 58 percent of us working folk have dated someone you work with and that she herself married someone she met on the job, it’s cool that she doesn’t Read More... Posted Monday, September 10, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 1 Comments Filed under: Current Affairs, HR Issues, Office Politics, Professionalism, Troubleshooting

• Premature Escalation

  This week, I was finishing up a project at the agency where I work part time. My colleague and I have been working closely with another internal team on this initiative since May, and fortunately, things have gone relatively smoothly. As the vice president Read More... Posted Wednesday, August 29, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 3 Comments Filed under: Communication, Office Politics, People Skills, Project Management, Professionalism

• 5 Steps for Coping with Criticism

  We all get criticized at work, and if we’re lucky, our managers and co-workers might even offer it in a constructive way. At the beginning of my career, I didn’t do too well with criticism, no matter how nicely my boss prefaced it. I’d respond with anger Read More... Posted Tuesday, July 24, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 4 Comments Filed under: Office Politics, People Skills, Professionalism, Troubleshooting

• How to Say No and Still Look Good

  The following is an e-mail that came my way this week. Dear Alexandra: I graduated from college last year, so I’m still at the bottom of the totem pole at my company. I have four senior colleagues who delegate work to me, and they have no problem doing Read More... Posted Thursday, April 05, 2007 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 2 Comments Filed under: Entry Level, Attitude & Motivation, Best Practices, Communication, Office Politics, Professionalism, Troubleshooting, Work

• Tale of the Two-Faced Interviewee

  I still remember the day six months ago when a good friend of mine called me up to tell me about this new junior-level employee she wanted to hire. I had never heard my friend, the director of the tourism division at a global advertising agency, sound Read More... Posted Tuesday, October 31, 2006 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 4 Comments Filed under: Attitude & Motivation, Best Practices, Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Business, Office Politics, Professionalism, Work

• Discretion is the Better Part of Valor

  Imagine this, if you will. Two men, Harry and James, are good friends. Harry’s daughter, Lisa, a college senior, is trying to decide on a career to pursue and would like to get an insider’s perspective on an entry-level job in software sales. While over Read More... Posted Monday, July 03, 2006 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 0 Comments Filed under: Communication, Office Politics, People Skills, Professionalism Attachment(s): http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/mly0174l.jpg

• Your Exit Interview is Not a Free for All

  Many companies request that departing employees do exit interviews with HR. The person conducting the interview, who probably doesn’t know you from a hole in the wall, will usually expect you to divulge why you are leaving and how you feel about your Read More... Posted Wednesday, May 17, 2006 7:00 AM by AlexandraLevit | 3 Comments Filed under: HR Issues, Office Politics, Professionalism