AboutJoan Schramm Expertise I can answer questions about handling difficult bosses or co-workers, motivation, team-building, and just getting along in an organization. I am also an expert on conflict resolution and communication as well as other issues dealing with business relationships.
Experience Joan is a professional Coach and the founder of Momentum Coaching, www.achieve-momentum.com. Her experience is from over twenty-five years of business leadership, training and coaching.
Organizations Coach Training Alliance, Coachville, Attractionville, 247 Coaching, Solo-E
Publications Many of my articles have appeared in local newspapers and online at sites like www.ezines.com, www.marketingseek.com, www.articlecity.com, www.exactseek.com and others.
Education/Credentials BS in English
MS in Human Resource Management
Certified Coach through the Coach Training Alliance
Question I have been at my present job 6 months, have had 3 excellent evaluations so far. My boss and I are the only ones in our deparment but work in separate areas. She is always asking about things (gossip) going on in my area. Today something big happened with another director, when I emailed my boss to ask if she heard the news she said she hadn't but that i should be careful about who I say anything to about this and I should be careful to stay politically correct around here. Can you help me understand what she meant by this? I heard of this phrase, but i don't know what she meant for me to do or not do.
Answer Jannae --
Since I don't know exactly what you said to your boss, or the circumstances you were reporting to her, I can't say specifically what she meant by staying "politically correct". My guess is that she means you shouldn't mention the incident to anyone but her and that you should stay out of office politics.
You didn't ask my opinion on your work situation, but I'm going to give it anyway. Passing on gossip to your boss is a great way to get yourself in trouble. Sooner or later it's going to occur to her that, if you're passing on things about other people to her, you might be saying things about her to other people.
Also, be very careful about what you put in an e-mail. When you send an e-mail it can be monitored within the company and it never gets erased. Your company probably automatically backs up computer files every night, so your e-mail is sitting there waiting to be pulled up and read at another time. Never put sensitive information, or information that you wouldn't want everyone in the company to read, in an e-mail.
My monthly newsletter "Angular Momentum" has featured recent articles about Toxic Bosses and Toxic Employees. You might want to check out the archives on my website www.achieve-momentum.com and read up a little on how different personalities can be viewed in a workplace.
