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Dear HBR:

Dear HBR:

83 episodes — Page 2 of 2

Ep 32Overcoming Negativity

Do you ruminate endlessly on difficult work situations? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of David DeSteno, a psychologist at Northeastern University. They talk through what to do when your boss constantly criticizes you, you’ve been fired unexpectedly, or your coworkers complain about you to your boss.

Apr 4, 201930 min

Ep 31Benefits and Perks

Are you taking full advantage of your job's benefits and perks? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of PwC chief people officer Mike Fenlon. They talk through what to do when you’re deciding between freelancing and a staff position with benefits, you want your company to offer a new perk, or your job makes it hard to use your vacation days.

Mar 21, 201932 min

Ep 30Building Trust

Could your workplace be more trusting? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of organizational psychologist Liane Davey. They talk through what to do when your new boss doesn’t trust you yet, you want to earn the trust of your subordinates, or company leaders have made employees afraid to speak up.

Mar 7, 201934 min

Ep 29Critical Feedback

Do you need to get better at giving and receiving feedback? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of consultant Ben Dattner. They talk through what to do when your employee wants to give you feedback, your feedback to others doesn't seem to make a difference, or someone who isn't your boss comments about your performance.

Feb 21, 201933 min

Ep 28Working Mothers

Are you struggling to balance career and family? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of career coach Daisy Dowling. They talk through what to do when you’re returning from maternity leave, planning to have kids early in your career, or debating whether to quit your job to care for your children.

Feb 7, 201936 min

Ep 27Getting Sidelined

Have you been sidelined at work? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Bill Taylor, a cofounder of Fast Company. They talk through what to do when your responsibilities have been reduced, you’ve been moved to an underperforming team, or your boss is leaving you out of key meetings.

Jan 24, 201938 min

Ep 26Hard Conversations

Are you dreading a work discussion? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Leslie John, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through what to do when you need to set your boss straight, meet with a direct report who wanted your new job, or hash things out with a negative team member.

Jan 10, 201932 min

Ep 25Bored and Disengaged

Have you checked out at work? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Dan Cable, a professor at London Business School. They talk through what to do when you aren't excited about your organization, new assignments don’t hold your interest, or all the best projects go to more senior employees.

Dec 27, 201829 min

Ep 24Job-Hopping

Are you worried about being seen as a job-hopper? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Allison Rimm, a career coach and former executive. They talk through how to leave after a brief time on the job, explain a series of short stints on your résumé, or know when to stick it out.

Dec 13, 201832 min

Ep 23Personal Rebranding

Do you need a career makeover? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Dorie Clark, the author of “Reinventing You.” They talk through how to change your coworkers’ perception of you, transition to a role outside your area of expertise, or be seen as a leader.

Nov 29, 201831 min

Ep 22Dysfunctional Teams

Is your teamwork not working? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Amy Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School. They talk through what to do when your team isn’t communicating, doesn’t respect its leader, or has one employee who’s causing problems.

Nov 15, 201831 min

Ep 21Race Issues

How does race affect your workplace? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Tina Opie, a management professor at Babson College. They talk through what to do when your company's board is not diverse, promotions favor some people more than others, or you want to have more conversations about race at the office.

Nov 2, 201831 min

Ep 20Underpaid (Live)

Do you deserve a higher salary? In a live taping with an audience of compensation experts, Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Susan Hollingshead, the chief people officer at Vendini. They talk through how to get more money when you haven’t been in your role long, the company isn’t giving out merit increases, or you’re at the bottom of your job’s salary range.

Oct 18, 201833 min

Ep 19Remote Workers

How does working remotely complicate your career? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Siobhan O’Mahony, a professor at Boston University Questrom School of Business. They talk through how to advance in your job when you’re not in the building, deal with a problematic colleague you never see, and manage teams in other offices.

Oct 4, 201832 min

Ep 18Resignations

Are you looking to quit your job? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of David Burkus, a management professor at Oral Roberts University. They talk through what to do when you want to call out a toxic employee in your resignation letter, reject a counteroffer, or resign without burning bridges.

Sep 20, 201834 min

Ep 17Ineffective Leaders

Does your organization lack quality leadership? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Peter Bregman, a leadership expert. They talk through what to do when your leaders are indecisive, unprofessional, or value the wrong things.

Sep 6, 201835 min

Ep 16Medical Leaves

Have you taken extended time off due to an illness? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Anne Sugar, a cancer survivor and an executive coach. They talk through what to do when you’re recovering from an illness while working, giving notice after a leave of absence, or job hunting after a health-related employment gap.

Aug 23, 201831 min

Ep 15Poor Communicators

Is miscommunication a constant problem at your workplace? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Holly Weeks, a lecturer at Harvard University. They talk through what to do when your coworker won’t stop talking, your boss overcommunicates with everyone on a project, or a leader keeps changing what you're supposed to do.

Aug 9, 201838 min

Ep 14Firings

Is a recent firing weighing on you? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Susan David, a psychologist at Harvard Medical School. They talk through what to do when your coworker has been wrongfully fired, your company has massive layoffs, or you’ve been fired.

Jul 26, 201832 min

Ep 13Family Businesses

Are you struggling with the complications of working in a family business? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Ted Clark, who runs the Center for Family Business at Northeastern University. They talk through advancing when you’re not a member of the family, managing up when your parents are your bosses, and whether it’s better to work for a family enterprise or a big corporation.

Jul 12, 201835 min

Ep 12Performance Reviews

Do performance reviews fill you with anxiety? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Adam Grant, an organizational psychologist at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. They talk through how to handle performance reviews that have mixed messages, extreme criticism, or not enough helpful feedback.

Jun 29, 201836 min

Ep 11Annoying Subordinates

Does your direct report get on your nerves? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Art Markman, a psychology professor at the University of Texas. They talk through how to manage someone who is unlikable, overly polite, or passive-aggressive.

Jun 14, 201835 min

Ep 10Office Spaces

Is your office killing your productivity? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Pete Bacevice, a workplace researcher at the global design firm HLW and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. They talk through how to survive in an open office, deploy teams across multiple buildings, and ask for a better workspace.

May 31, 201831 min

Ep 9Lateral Moves

Could a lateral move help your career? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Priscilla Claman, a career coach and former HR executive. They talk through when making a lateral move will push you forward and when it will hold you back.

May 17, 201832 min

Ep 8Toxic Workplaces

If your workplace is toxic, can you change it? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Nicholas Pearce, an associate professor at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. They talk through how to transform a toxic culture, whether you’re a junior employee, a manager, or in charge.

May 3, 201838 min

Ep 7Bad Bosses

Is your boss making your life miserable? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Moshe Cohen, a senior lecturer at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business. They talk through what to do when your boss is a jerk, a workaholic, or simply incompetent.

Apr 20, 201837 min

Ep 6Career Transitions

Do you want to shake up your career? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Whitney Johnson, the author of “Disrupt Yourself.” They talk through what to do when you’ve trained for one career and long for another, when you reenter the workforce after a long gap, and when you want to move into management.

Apr 5, 201835 min

Ep 5Pay Injustices

Are you getting paid unfairly? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Shirli Kopelman, a professor at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. They talk through what to do when a poor performer gets paid more than you, when the company salary structure is making people quit, and how to ask for more money when your boss leaves and you do their job.

Mar 23, 201836 min

Ep 4Generational Conflict

Do you have a hard time with older or younger co-workers? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Jennifer Deal, the co-author of “What Millennials Want from Work.” They talk through what to do when you’re struggling with an older colleague, when you’re managing a much older worker, and how to motivate younger employees who seem lax on the job. Editor's note: This episode was updated April 11, 2018.

Mar 8, 201835 min

Ep 3Difficult People

Do you work with a jerk? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Stanford management professor Bob Sutton, an expert in dealing with difficult co-workers. They talk through what to do when your colleague is a bully, when your boss never takes the blame, and when your direct report gets on everyone’s bad side — but still brings in the money.

Feb 22, 201836 min

Ep 2Office Romances

Have you ever had a romantic encounter at work? Dan and Alison discuss the minefield of workplace romances with biological anthropologist Helen Fisher of Rutgers University and the Kinsey Institute. They answer your questions on how to ask somebody out at work, how a one-night stand with a colleague can affect your career, and how to manage the politics and (mis)perceptions of co-worker relationships.

Feb 8, 201836 min

Ep 1First-time Bosses

What should you do when you become the boss? Co-hosts Alison Beard and Dan McGinn answer your questions with the help of Harvard Business School professor Alison Wood Brooks, an expert on behavioral insights. They talk through what to do when your direct reports are older than you, how to be a likeable leader, and what to say if you’re not ready to be in charge.

Feb 8, 201836 min

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The advice show for workplace dilemmas. We take your questions and offer a better way forward.

Jan 16, 20182 min