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Dear Orna: Last week I presented a new idea to my boss, but she rejected it. Yesterday, she presented the same idea to her boss, and he loved it. She took all the credit! Do I have to put up with that because she is my boss?
~ Signed: Outraged!!!

Dear Outraged!: I don't blame you for being outraged. That does not sound fair, but before you get even more outraged . . .
General
Dear Orna: My plate is full, but my boss constantly hands me additional projects. I always say YES because I don't want him to think I'm incompetent. But I am overwhelmed. How can I say NO without sounding like a loser?
~ Signed: Burned Out

Dear Burned Out: Many people today are paranoid about losing their job so they are afraid to say, "No" to their boss. But keep in mind, if you're stressed and burned out, the quality of your work will suffer . . .
General
Dear Orna: I share a small workspace with a chronic complainer and have to listen to his grievances and whining all day long. It drives me crazy! How can I make him stop?
~ Signed: Tired of all the whining!

Dear Tired of All The Whining: My heart goes out to you. There are few things that will bring you down quicker than spending your day with a constant complainer. Problem is . . .
General
Dear Orna: I hate office politics. Does it exist everywhere or do I just seem to find the wrong jobs?
~Signed: Tired of the Game

Dear TIRED OF THE GAME: Office politics can be very frustrating, especially when it creates an atmosphere of 'tribal conflict,' where teams are competitive instead of supportive. But I have to be honest and tell you that, YES, office politics exists everywhere. However . . .
General
Dear Orna: It seems that curse words have become a natural part of daily language. I like to pepper my comments with swear words but my roommate says that swearing at work will hurt my career? Will it?
~Signed: What the F#%@&*^!!

Dear WHAT THE F#%@&*^!!: I won't just give you my opinion, I will give you some freakin' facts, first! According to a recent Career Builder survey, over half of workers admit to swearing at the office. Of that group, 95% said they do so in front of their co-workers and 51% curse in front of their boss. But the study also indicated . . .
General
Dear Orna: My boss is a bully. Every day is like going into battle. He yells and screams at me if front of others, insults my best efforts and talks behind my back. I feel intimidated and am afraid to go in to work. How can I better manage this horrible situation?
~ Signed: No More Mr. Nice Guy

Dear NO-MORE-MR.-NICE-GUY: Bullying in the workplace is as bad as abuse in the home. Whether it's a co-worker who constantly talks over you at meetings, a boss who makes jokes at your expense or a team that leaves you out of key events . . .
General
Joan Rivers died recently at the age of 81. And since her passing, there has been a lot of talk about the impact she made on our lives and our society. So, what have we learned from the comedian who made us laugh . . . and built an empire, all at the same time?

Joan Rivers broke all the rules and somehow managed to turn her stand-up comedy routine into . . .
General
Dear Orna: I have a tattoo on my back and I am thinking of getting a couple of more tattoos on my arm and hands. I just graduated from college and my girlfriend says more tattoos will prevent me from getting a good job. Is the right?
~ Signed: INK the Deal

Dear INK the DEAL: Although tattoos were once associated with sailors and laborers, they have become a lot more popular and "fashionable" these days. In fact, the tattoo industry has ballooned into a $2 Billion business and continues to grow. However, your girlfriend makes a valid point . . .
General
Dear Orna: Why does it seem that so many people lie at work? They lie about little things, big ideas, personal issues and work-related matters. How can an honest person cope?
~Signed: Tell Me Sweet Little Lies

Dear TELL ME SWEET LITTLE LIES: I'm not gonna lie to you. The truth is, we are all liars. The lying begins with the job interview and never stops. Because I want you to believe me, I'm going to quote some real statistics: A University of Massachusetts research study found that 81% of job interview candidates lie and extroverts are most likely to . . .
General
Dear Orna: I was promoted to manager about a year ago and I thought I was doing a good job. But last week I got DEMOTED! Should I just quit?
~ Signed: Demoted & Demoralized!

Dear DEMOTED & DEMORALIZED: What a shock! Getting demoted is probably better than getting fired.... but it's absolutely humiliating! While your first reaction might be to quit, it may not be your best move . . .