DEAR HARRIETTE: I just got into a heated argument with a contractor I hired to help me work on a project. We had agreed on clear deadlines, and she missed them all. Each time I addressed it with her, she came up with some crazy excuse. I lost my temper today after her last lame excuse for not getting work done. When I mentioned my frustration with a colleague, I learned that someone else just posted on social media how unprofessional this woman is. Apparently, she has a bad reputation.
Now what do I do? I am not one to raise my voice, but she set me off. I apologized for that. But it doesn’t change that she owes me work that I have already paid for. Part of me wants to blast her on social media. Is that wrong of me? -- Getting Back at Her, Boston
DEAR GETTING BACK AT HER: I think of Michelle Obama’s mantra: When they go low, we go high. Do your best to stay positive and professional. Avoid the impulse to trash this woman on social media or in any other way. Either get her to complete the work that she was contracted to do, or sue her in small claims court. That will get her attention. Obviously you will not give her a recommendation, but you don’t have to join the voices on the internet who are talking about her.
(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.)