DEAR HARRIETTE: I was offered a promotion within my department. My superior said that I have shown resilience and dedication to the job despite our difficult transition to working from home. He told me that I have been working hard from home and could set a great example for others in the company to put forth the same effort and energy.
I don’t believe I have earned or even deserve this promotion; I feel guilty for all the reasons my boss gave. I do my work -- don’t get me wrong -- but I have challenges staying focused on work alone. Since I’ve been home, I feel that a majority of my time has been spent being lazy watching TV, working out, cooking and working on my personal goals. I work to get it over and done with, but it doesn’t appear that way to my boss. I don’t know if I should have expected this promotion, but do I even deserve it? -- Wrongful Promotion
DEAR WRONGFUL PROMOTION: Consider this promotion a blessing to get back on track. Accept it graciously, and commit to devoting each hour of the workday to doing the best that you can for your company. Put your personal projects to the side, and work on them only after hours. This may be the motivation you need to fulfill your boss’s vision for you. Go for it.
(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.)