Alison Green Author Archive
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Alison Green

Columnist, the Cut
See all their articles from across New York Magazine
@AskAManager
[email protected]

Alison Green is the Cut’s workplace-advice columnist. In addition to “Ask a Boss,” she has run her own career-advice website, Ask a Manager, for 15 years and is the author of Ask a Manager: How to Navigate Clueless Colleagues, Lunch-Stealing Bosses, and the Rest of Your Life at Work and Managing to Change the World: The Nonprofit Manager's Guide to Getting Results.

  1. advice
    Ask a Boss: What Should I Do About My Employee’s Affair?First assess how comfortable you are with your employee.
  2. advice
    Ask a Boss: When Should I Admit I Can’t Do My Job?First find out whether things are really as bad as you think.
  3. advice
    Ask a Boss: How Do I Ask to Work From Home?Suggest a trial period.
  4. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Manager Is a Slacker!Going over her head might not work.
  5. Ask a Boss: My Employee’s Husband Won’t Leave Me Alone!Talk to her, even though she’s not the one calling.
  6. advice
    Ask a Boss: What Should I Do at Work When My Life Is a Mess?Accept your limits.
  7. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-worker Talks to Herself Nonstop!Try asking her to help you out (by shutting up).
  8. advice
    Ask a Boss: How Do I Shut Up a Mansplainer?Keep being assertive.
  9. advice
    Ask a Boss: The Cable News at My Office Is Giving Me Anxiety!You might be able to get medical accommodation.
  10. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Boss Is Making Everyone Sick!Join forces with your co-workers to stop her.
  11. advice
    Ask a Boss: Should I Try to Act Older at Work?Act like your age is a nonissue, and others will take your cue.
  12. advice
    Ask a Boss: Dealing With Customers Is Making Me Depressed!What price do you put on your day-to-day happiness?
  13. Ask a Boss: I’m Going to Be My Frenemy’s Boss!It’s your job to set boundaries.
  14. Ask a Boss: My Awful Co-worker Has CancerYou can be sympathetic and still speak up.
  15. advice
    Ask a Boss: I’m a Bad Employee, But I Can’t Do Anything About It!Being a mom doesn’t make you a bad employee.
  16. advice
    Ask a Boss: How Do I Quit the Job I’ve Had Forever?With two weeks’ notice.
  17. advice
    Ask a Boss: I Have Two Bosses, and They Hate Each Other!Don’t get caught in the middle.
  18. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Boss Asks My Advice Then Ignores It!Asking your opinion isn’t a promise to agree.
  19. advice
    Ask a Boss: I’m Doing My Boss’s Job for Him!That might not be a bad thing.
  20. advice
    Ask a Boss: What If I Don’t Deserve This Promotion?Forget deserving it; do you want it?
  21. Ask a Boss: My Colleague Thinks He’s the Food Police!Here’s what you can say.
  22. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-worker Overheard Me Bad-mouthing Her!Ooof.
  23. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-worker Keeps Stealing My Ideas!You need to call him out.
  24. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Boss Is a Micromanager!There might be a good reason.
  25. advice
    Ask a Boss: How Do I Survive a Job I Hate?Focus on what you’re getting out of it.
  26. advice
    Ask a Boss: I’ve Been Covering for My Friend’s Mistakes!You have an obligation to speak up.
  27. taking care of business
    Ask a Boss: Is Job-Hopping Still a Bad Thing?Depends on the jobs.
  28. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-worker Is a Slacker!Don’t get mad, but don’t cover for her, either.
  29. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Coworkers Won’t Stop Talking Politics!Talking politics is one thing; forcing you to participate is another.
  30. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Male Co-worker Makes More Than I Do!This sure sounds like discrimination.
  31. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-worker Wants Everyone to Call Her Boyfriend Her ‘Master’!You don’t have to join in their relationship this way.
  32. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-workers Won’t Stop Asking Me Out!You need to talk to HR.
  33. advice
    Ask a Boss: How Do I Get Out of Doing a Sweat-Lodge Ceremony With My Co-workers?You definitely do not have to participate.
  34. ask a boss
    Ask a Boss: Am I the Office Mean Girl?It’s not realistic to be friends with everyone.
  35. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Employee Expects Way Too Much From This Job!It can be hard to go from star student to the lowest rung on the ladder at work.
  36. advice
    Ask a Boss: How Do I Improve My Work Ethic?Stop telling yourself you’re “lazy.”
  37. advice
    Ask a Boss: I’m Expected to Work Extra Because I Don’t Have Kids!You’re as entitled to your off-work time as anyone else is.
  38. ask a boss
    Ask a Boss: My Co-worker Is a Twitter Troll!Your employer would want to know.
  39. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Intern Is Unbelievably Rude!You should not put up with this.
  40. advice
    Ask a Boss: I’m an Introvert and It’s Holding Me Back!Try to be more curious about your co-workers.
  41. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Colleague Won’t Shut Up!Are you ready to call him out?
  42. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Employee Dresses Like a Slob!Be as straightforward as possible.
  43. advice
    Ask a Boss: Am I Too Needy With My New Boss?Plus: My assistant keeps giving me gifts!
  44. advice
    Ask a Boss: My Co-workers Are Gossiping About Me!Plus: I have nothing to do at my internship.
  45. advice
    Ask a Boss: Everyone Thinks I’m an Assistant!Plus: How do I avoid becoming friends with my managers?