DEAR HARRIETTE: I work in finance. Two weeks ago, I was told that I am being taken off of the project I’m working on and will be reassigned two new projects.
I had no issue with this, but now my life at work is stressful because all of my time is still going to the project that I’m being transitioned off of, but there is no set date to when I will no longer work on this project.
It’s frustrating because I want to be researching my new projects as I’m also starting to have meetings added to my calendar, and when I start, I’m expected to know the project goals, context and key stakeholders. Currently, I don’t even have time to look over the documents, so I feel like I am being set up to fail. I don’t want to look disengaged on my old project, but I also don’t want to look unprepared on my new ones.
I’m worried this will reflect poorly on me, even though the situation feels out of my control.
Should I speak up and risk sounding like I can’t handle the workload, or do I just try to power through and hope things settle down?
— Overloaded
DEAR OVERLOADED: Speak to the supervisors of each project and explain your situation. Ask for advice on how to handle your responsibilities efficiently. Being proactive will show that you are conscientious and will also alert leadership that you need help.
DEAR HARRIETTE: I recently started an organization with a group of friends. It has been a great experience, and we have been able to contribute significantly to our community. We have curated a safe space that attracts others while continuing to be organized and results-driven.
Although I am extremely proud of what we have built, it can be hard to be a leader in this space due to the familiar relationship we have as friends. Our personal relationships can often interfere with our ability to operate as a collective, with some of us not wanting to give critique to protect the friendship. This can affect the efficiency of the organization, which is our No. 1 priority.
How do I curate an environment that nurtures our friendship but still puts our organization’s mission at the forefront?
— Leader of Friends
DEAR LEADER OF FRIENDS: Talk to your team about roles and responsibilities. Create an organizational chart that identifies structure. Discuss how information should be shared and how everyone can be accountable. Suggest weekly meetings to review the status of all projects.
Most important: Schedule debrief meetings after each event or project concludes. Encourage everyone to share unfiltered feedback about what worked and what didn’t work so that you can all learn and grow. Be respectful in those meetings, but also direct.
By establishing a rhythm of communication about the status of your work together, you will create a level of comfort with each other professionally. Agree to speak both candidly and nonjudgmentally. Listen when others speak, and assume the positive.
Over time, you can develop an ease of honest communication even though you are friends.
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.
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