http://www.ft.com/management/dear-lucy Lucy Kellaway answers reader's management questions for the Financial Times en (PICS-1.1 "http://www.classify.org/safesurf/" L gen true for "http://www.ft.com/" r (SS~~000 1)) © Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2013. "FT" and "Financial Times" are trademarks of the Financial Times. See http://www.ft.com/servicestools/help/terms#legal1 for the terms and conditions of reuse. Sun, 12 May 2013 21:25:06 GMT Mon, 20 May 2013 14:04:49 GMT client.support@ft.com (Client Support) 15 Newspapers http://www.ft.com/rss/management/dear-lucy http://im.ft-static.com/m/img/rss/RSS_Default_Image.png http://www.ft.com/management/dear-lucy http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/9652c9ae-ae84-11e2-8316-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct Can I get to the top without being a nasty piece of work? Lucy Kellaway answers students’ questions – serious and less so Sun, 12 May 2013 21:25:06 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/9652c9ae-ae84-11e2-8316-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 9652c9ae-ae84-11e2-8316-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ace0a9ec-b407-11e2-b5a5-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I wonder whether it is wise, or even legal, to work on personnel information in public Tue, 07 May 2013 22:19:33 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ace0a9ec-b407-11e2-b5a5-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct ace0a9ec-b407-11e2-b5a5-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5ea75aec-ab5f-11e2-8c63-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I wonder how long I can be away and still have a good chance of being re-employed on my return Tue, 07 May 2013 20:44:38 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5ea75aec-ab5f-11e2-8c63-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 5ea75aec-ab5f-11e2-8c63-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b61b550a-a072-11e2-88b6-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct Three of my staff completed their MBAs over the internet and expect salary increase. Why I should boost their egos for a qualification that took one-tenth the time? Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:52:46 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b61b550a-a072-11e2-88b6-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct b61b550a-a072-11e2-88b6-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/662d1808-932f-11e2-b3be-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct An attractive 27-year-old at work has been accused of wearing short skirts and showing too much cleavage. The dress code is not specific. What should I do? Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:32:56 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/662d1808-932f-11e2-b3be-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 662d1808-932f-11e2-b3be-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6fc24e98-8a3c-11e2-bf79-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I married a man who gave up his career to stay home with our children. But I come home and find homework often undone and our kids not yet bathed Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:13:08 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6fc24e98-8a3c-11e2-bf79-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 6fc24e98-8a3c-11e2-bf79-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38547b0e-7f72-11e2-8d96-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct It is company policy to allow people some flexibility, but it doesn’t seem to me to produce the best work. Can I do a Mayer, or will I be accused of being a dinosaur? Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:15:13 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38547b0e-7f72-11e2-8d96-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 38547b0e-7f72-11e2-8d96-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f27d7f84-707d-11e2-a2cf-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct In theory, I like the idea of escape but have no idea what I’d do and am not ready to spend the rest of my life pruning roses Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:08:27 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f27d7f84-707d-11e2-a2cf-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct f27d7f84-707d-11e2-a2cf-00144feab49a http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1d43968c-6970-11e2-9246-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I am paid well for doing the work of a head of a bank, but it is he who meets the big clients. Should I move to where there is a possibility of me taking the reins? Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:18:20 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1d43968c-6970-11e2-9246-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 1d43968c-6970-11e2-9246-00144feab49a http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/534b36da-5b2a-11e2-8ccc-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I’ve found out by accident that one of my male colleagues who is in the rank below me has just negotiated a pay rise and getting more than I am Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:31:39 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/534b36da-5b2a-11e2-8ccc-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 534b36da-5b2a-11e2-8ccc-00144feab49a http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/4ca78b2e-5ff0-11e2-8d8d-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct Lucy Kellaway turns business education agony aunt Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:26 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/4ca78b2e-5ff0-11e2-8d8d-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 4ca78b2e-5ff0-11e2-8d8d-00144feab49a http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/28c358de-50df-11e2-b287-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct A colleague tells me that listening to music at work is unfriendly and unprofessional. But I find this is ludicrous, as the music helps me focus Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:11:21 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/28c358de-50df-11e2-b287-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 28c358de-50df-11e2-b287-00144feab49a http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0b5f8e68-42f5-11e2-aa8f-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I gave a year-end bonus as a thank you to a small number of people at my NGO. It was to be kept secret but it has leaked out and caused much resentment Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:40 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0b5f8e68-42f5-11e2-aa8f-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 0b5f8e68-42f5-11e2-aa8f-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6770e7ae-37df-11e2-a97e-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I am asked to present at various forums and I get increasingly frustrated with the lack of attention from the audience who work on their laptops Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:58:52 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6770e7ae-37df-11e2-a97e-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 6770e7ae-37df-11e2-a97e-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/809cf852-2cff-11e2-beb2-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I’ve just been made redundant and I’ve been asked to make a speech at a farewell bash. But the place that I am leaving is hateful, the culture toxic Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:16:39 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/809cf852-2cff-11e2-beb2-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 809cf852-2cff-11e2-beb2-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5fa0f7a6-21b1-11e2-b5d2-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct My company has rolled out a Twitter-like tool, and we have been told to post a minimum number of chats. This has led to much drivel Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:22:36 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5fa0f7a6-21b1-11e2-b5d2-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 5fa0f7a6-21b1-11e2-b5d2-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e7f9df72-0f10-11e2-9343-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct We’ve been instructed to prepare a five-minute presentation on what drives us, but this prospect fills me with despair. My mind is blank. I’m panicking. Help! Tue, 30 Oct 2012 22:59:35 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e7f9df72-0f10-11e2-9343-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct e7f9df72-0f10-11e2-9343-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f5e021f0-0655-11e2-bd29-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct My doctor suggests that I take a few months off work to recover completely from exhaustion but I am resisting because I think it will damage my career Tue, 09 Oct 2012 23:16:11 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f5e021f0-0655-11e2-bd29-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct f5e021f0-0655-11e2-bd29-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/310d9404-fb6d-11e1-b5d0-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct To cut costs, more colleagues from other buildings were last year crammed into the office where I work. The lavatories struggle to cope. But an ‘executive washroom’ is in the works Tue, 25 Sep 2012 23:19:36 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/310d9404-fb6d-11e1-b5d0-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 310d9404-fb6d-11e1-b5d0-00144feabdc0 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/66a55542-f0ec-11e1-89b2-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct I was hired by a very well-known business. At first I was in awe, but I’ve discovered that most of my colleagues are neither terribly bright nor terribly hardworking Tue, 11 Sep 2012 23:07:11 GMT http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/66a55542-f0ec-11e1-89b2-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fmanagement_dear-lucy%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct 66a55542-f0ec-11e1-89b2-00144feabdc0