Hallie was honored to be featured in a recent SELF.com article about how to handle awkward situations at work. As a follow up to this article, we wanted to share some additional tips with you.
- What can do you when your boss finds out you’re applying for another job? You need to respond to them obviously, but you don’t need to apologize. It would be best to respond to them privately, and verbally. Not in front of a group, or in writing. It’s better to have a quick phone or in person conversation about it so it can be dealt with carefully. If you are very unhappy where you are, then there’s no point in asking for a similar position where you are currently. Let them know how much you have appreciated working with them but for your career progression you feel it’s time to move on. If you would like to continue to grow in your current position, let your boss know that you would like to stay but would like additional responsibility, to work on different projects for example – whatever it is that has made you consider leaving in the first place. Find out if they can make the changes you feel you need.
- How to carry on after crying in front of your boss or during a meeting? Return to the conversation if you feel you’re calm again. If you can’t calm down, let them know you need to think about things and you will get back to them. If your tears were due to happiness, there is no need for further conversation. If your tears were due to a critical review, try to focus on what was said instead of how it was said. Give yourself some time to think about the conversation, and if you feel you need to add something else to the conversation, ask to schedule a follow-up. If you feel you need to and it would help diffuse the situation, you can say something like, “I apologize if I made things uncomfortable, this was a tough situation for me.”
- How to explain to your boss why you didn’t complete a task, or didn’t do your best? Let them know if there were extreme circumstances (emergency hospital visit, family emergency, etc.) that didn’t allow you to complete the project to the best of your abilities. Let your boss know what happened but explain also that you understand that you didn’t do your best. Ask them to help you come up with a plan to handle the situation better next time. For example, is there a co-worker that could be a backup for you in emergencies? Move the conversation towards a solution and acknowledge your less than stellar performance.
HallieCrawford.com was founded by certified career coach, speaker and author Hallie Crawford. Since 2002, the company’s team of certified career coaches have helped thousands of job seekers worldwide identify their ideal career path, navigate their career transition and achieve their career goals. Schedule a free consult with http://createyourcareerpath.com today to learn more about our services.
