Youve got problems, Ive got advice.
This advice isnt sugar-coatedin fact, its sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter.
Welcome to Tough Love.
I simply want to give you the tools it’s crucial that you enrich your damn lives.
If for whatever reason you dont like my advice, feel free tofile a formal complaint here.
Now then, lets get on with it.
Hi Patrick,
Im coming up on 26 and am still at my first job out of college.
Im not in a good place with it anymore and am not sure what to do.
When I first started, I had a great boss.
We had a good working relationship and even better was that he believed in me and pushed me.
Right from the start, hed tell me he saw leadership potential in me.
He said I had the most potential of anyone on our team.
He encouraged me to speak at marketing conferences and pushed for our whole team to focus on professional development.
Under him, we had a great sense of a unified team.
And I felt like I was going places.
That was the first half of my time at this job.
The second half has not been as pleasant.
My first boss left and his replacement is all business.
Ive never heard anything from her to indicate she sees leadership potential or anything similar in me.
There is no focus on professional development.
No one else on the team does these things anymore.
Team morale is low.
Im not sure if my boss can see this as she works remote.
Im also not sure if she cares.
What should I do?
I cant come out and say, Hey boss.
Youre really shitty compared to my last one.
I dont have anyone to confide in at work.
Ive been so depressed about it lately.
And yes, Ive been applying to other positions.
No interview offers yet.
I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts.
He was supportive, gave you guidance, and was essentially grooming you for future leadership.
He was top notch, which is probably why someone else hired him.
Off to bigger and better things (or maybe retirement).
To be honest, Cross, most bosses arent like that.
In fact, most people in management are just concerned with the bottom line.
They just want you to get your stuff done so they dont get yelled at by their own superiors.
Basically, your first boss kind of ruined all future bosses for you.
Welcome to the workforce.
Ever hear the phrase out of sight, out of mind?
Thats whats happening here, and its something you oughta get used to.
No more gold stars.
Unless youre told something is wrong, nothing is wrong.
But youre feeling stuck, so what should you do?
For one, dont tell your boss shes shitty (from what I can gather shes normal).
Take the initiative here and talk to your boss more.
You think shes just going to magically notice that youre feeling blue when shes remote?
You have to communicate!
I mean, if you dont tell her how would she know that stuff?
Also, connect with your coworkers.
Now that your boss is remote, you guys need each other more than ever.
Find a way you’re free to all confide in each other.
It will help you all get on the same page and ask for changes together if need be.
Shit, thats what most people have to do for get that stuff.
Lastly, keep applying to other positions and other companies just in case things dont ever get better.
Actually, never stop doing that.
Its how you climb in the professional world these days.
