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Bullies Yelling Public Reprimands Workload

I was just reprimanded by my manager in front of our whole department. She was yelling and screaming about my project being late, but I told her several days ago that I needed more help to get it done. She wouldn't listen to me then, and there was no way to get a word in today. What should I say to her now?



If there were three strikes in management, your manager would be out of the game. Strike one was her failure to listen to you when you came to her days ago and indicated that a problem was brewing; strike two was the act of reprimanding you in public; and, strike three was the yelling and screaming. This manager needs to be sent back to the minors.

You can certainly go to her and discuss what happened, but you do not need to do so in a deferent or apologetic mode. Rather, you can indicate that you share her concern over the status of the project, and then give her your suggestions to salvage it, adding that you are still prepared to work hard, but you need more help.

The next step is to listen. She may continue her attack, or perhaps she has cooled down and can start to act like a manager. Her response is going to provide the basis for your next step. Either she is going to act like a manager when she is around you, or else you should go around her.



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