Dear HARRIETTE: I work in finance. Two weeks ago, I was told that I was being removed from the project I was working on and would be reassigned to two new projects.
I didn’t have a problem with this, but now my life at work is stressful because all my time goes to the project I am transferred to, but there is no fixed day when I will no longer work on this project.
It’s frustrating because I want to research my new projects as I start and have meetings added to my calendar, and when I start, I’m expected to know the project’s goals, context and key stakeholders. Right now, I don’t even have time to look at the documentation, so I feel like I’m being set up for failure. I don’t want to look out of place on my old project, but I also don’t want to look unprepared on new ones.
I’m worried this will reflect badly on me, even though the situation feels beyond my control.
Should I speak up and risk sounding like I can’t handle the job, or should I just try to open up and hope things work out?
— It is full
BELOVED IT’S FULL: Talk to the managers of each job and explain your situation to them. Ask for advice on how to handle your responsibilities properly. Being proactive will show that you are conscientious and will alert leaders that you need help.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I just started an organization with a group of friends. It’s been a great experience, and we’ve been able to contribute a lot to our community. We chose a safe environment that attracts others while remaining organized and results-driven.
Although I am extremely proud of what we have built, it can be difficult to be a leader in this space because of the casual relationship we have as friends. Our personal relationships may interfere with our ability to work as a group, some of us do not want to give criticism to protect the friendship. This can affect the efficiency of the organization, which is our number 1 priority.
How do I create an environment that nurtures our friendship but still puts the mission of our organization first?
– Leader of friends
DEAR FRIENDS LEADER: Talk to your team about roles and responsibilities. Create an organization chart that identifies the structure. Discuss how information should be shared and how everyone can respond. Suggest weekly meetings to review the status of all projects.
Most important: Schedule debriefing meetings after the event or project is over. Encourage everyone to share unfiltered feedback about what worked and what didn’t so you can all learn and grow. Be respectful in those meetings, but also direct.
By establishing a rhythm of communication about the nature of your work together, you will create a level of comfort for each other professionally. Agree to speak frankly and non-judgmentally. Listen when others speak, and think positive.
Over time, you can develop the comfort of communicating honestly even as friends.
Harriette Cole is the founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people reach and make their dreams work. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
