For starters, it was clear that Paula’s critiques had nothing to do with the actual data the author had been reporting. It was always about the author’s formatting choices. Week after week, the author felt like there was no way to satisfy Paula.
So, she did a little digging and pulled a file that Paula herself made years ago when it was her job to submit similar reports. The author copied the same format and submitted this new one to test her theory.
If Paula had nothing negative to say, then the author finally landed on a format that was preferable to her. However, if she provided harsh criticism yet again, then the author will have confirmed that Paula just had nothing nice to say to her.
Obviously, the author’s plan is a risky one, but there is something to be learned from here when it comes to deciphering where your manager’s potentially unreachable expectations are coming from.
Author: Kayitsi.com
