My boss seems to single me out for criticism more than anyone else all of the time. My colleagues have acknowledged it, too — that every mistake I make is magnified greater than when they screw up. Any advice on how to approach my boss about this?
Poor thing — perhaps you can get Alicia Keys to write a ballad for you that you can play to your boss. I’m more struck by the fact that you acknowledge that you seem to screw up a lot. You might want to try not giving him a reason to criticize you, and see how that strategy works. Seriously. Now, to be completely fair, it is true that sometimes the chemistry between two people does cause friction and potential for someone to be treated differently than others. Have the conversation with your boss without accusing or putting him on the defensive, but acknowledge how you feel and what you can do to change the dynamic. If you try that, as well as changing some of your behaviors — including not making as many mistakes — and things still don’t change, well, then it’s time for a break up song.
I got promoted, but I am disappointed with the raise considering how much more responsibility I am taking on. Should I remain quiet and be grateful, or speak up?
Everyone should have the confidence to speak up. Most problems in the workplace are the result of two things — either a lack of communication or poorly executed communication. Speak up, but craft your message and the timing carefully: Express gratitude for the acknowledgment and enthusiasm for taking on more responsibility. And it is legitimate to say you thought the compensation would be commensurate with the new job. A constructive dialogue about the factors that go into such decisions, and opportunities to revisit and review the compensation in the future will help you feel better about what sounds like a positive development for you — and could be instructive as well as you grow as a manager. Good luck.
Gregory Giangrande is an executive human resources officer in the media industry. Email your career questions to gotogreg@nypost.com. And follow
Greg on Twitter: @greggiangrande.