My cubemate smells. We all talk about it, but no one says anything about it — probably because it affects just me. How do I handle this?
“Scent of a Woman” is one of my favorite Al Pacino movies of all time. (And he finally garnered a well-deserved Oscar for his performance after being snubbed for “The Godfather,” parts one and two!) And you, my friend, are going to need an Oscar-worthy performance if you are going to try and tackle this highly sensitive subject on your own. The problem could be personal hygiene or diet, which is embarrassing to have to talk to someone about — but it also could be medical-related. I’d tell your boss and HR, and let them handle it. Or Luca Brasi . . . but he sleeps with the fishes.
The new head of our department is very unhappy with the strategy of a key initiative our department is directing. I was a major opponent of that strategy, but was overruled. And now he wants to change direction to the same approach I had originally advocated for. What can I do to demonstrate that we are aligned and I shouldn’t be blamed?
Hmmm . . . to throw your colleagues under the bus to save yourself, or take one for the team? Well, that is a dilemma with many variables to consider before deciding what, if anything, you should do. Do you like your colleagues, or is the culture more workplace Darwinism? Do you have any written evidence of the strategy that you supported?
Anyone can claim they agree with him and never supported the current direction and risk being viewed as highly political and a suck-up. It also depends on whether you are asked for your opinion or just offering it unsolicited.
Remember, ultimately we all have a shared responsibility to act in the best interests of the enterprise. If you act accordingly, demonstrating what you believe in a professional, respectful and tactful manner, you also put yourself in the best position for good things to happen for you over the long arc of your career. Good luck.