DEAR HARRIETTE: I am opening a company that has a showroom. Because of the environment I want to present to customers, the company has split into visuals (like materials, furniture and presentation) and finance. I think this is a good setup; however, "Rebecca," a woman on the finance team, has been giving her opinion on everything. Her job is to focus on price tags, not tell me which paint and chair colors she prefers. As an accountant, she should know to care only about numbers, but I can't seem to steer her away from sticking her nose in the design team's business. I don't want to offend her, but I need to get Rebecca out of my hair. -- Nosy Nosy, Racine, Wisconsin
DEAR NOSY NOSY: Use strategy here so that you keep everybody on the same team even as people need to settle into their roles. In start-ups, it is not uncommon for everyone who's part of the company to believe that their input is necessary and important for the positive outcome of the company. It would be wise for you to make sure that Rebecca continues to feel appreciated, even as you let her know that you have your role under control.
Thank Rebecca for being so excited about the showroom. Tell her that it will be easier for you to do your job if you can concentrate on your area of expertise without her input, no matter how helpful she may think she is being. Ask her to help you and the team by staying in her lane and making sure that she has all of her particulars covered so that when the showroom opens, everything will be ready.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)