Are you proactive?

My previous blog post elicited an interesting response about work-related problems that gets posted in a public blog. Rather than discuss whether that is right or wrong, legal or not, I'd rather go back to the basics.

I think very rare would we find a workplace, even our daily lives, to be as good as we want to be. There will certainly be frustrations and disappointments. How you handle it is your choice. No one can irritate and harm you without your consent.

This is what I've learned.

In working with difficult supervisors and customers, take the initiative of understanding what they want and further clarify in case there is miscommunication. As you interact, don't explain yourself, just listen, ask questions, listen some more, validate by giving scenarios, and listen some more. Don't explain yourself until you are asked.

It is also productive to submit a weekly report of what you've done and work issues (urgent/not-urgent but important) you are having that will interfere the completion of your deliverable. Discuss this with your superior and build a checklist that shows pending issues and those that have been resolved as you submit your weekly report.

Most workplace stress is a result of poor communication. The above two suggestions, I hope, can help in its own small way.