July 12, 2011 • Volume 2, Issue 14 • ISSN: 2154-3240

In This Issue

♦	Feature Article: Justifying
♦	Ask Amanda: My new boss is uncommunicative and it makes me anxious. Any tips?
♦	Practical Tips: Asking for Help

Justifying

Justifying is an interesting phenomenon. When asked to explain decisions, you have two choices in how to respond: you can provide a rationale or a justification. The choice a person makes often gives you great insight into the state of their thinking, worldview, and beliefs about themselves. Unlike a rationale, which is simply a list of reasons why a certain decision has been made, a justification is a defense of a decision. It has an emotional component to it because the justifier feels under attack.

If you're a manager and you are asked to provide an explanation, be aware of the language used by the person making the request.
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	Focus is often the difference between success and failure.

Practical Tips: Asking for Help

Most people are happy to help when asked. If your experience is different, ask yourself if your approach is the reason why you’re not getting the help you’d like

Be Specific
When reaching out for assistance, know exactly what you want from the other person. "I’d like to talk to you about potential opportunities" is vague and makes work for the other person. "I am looking for a marketing position, can you tell me who to speak to within your organization?" allows the other person to easily assist you.
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I have a new boss who is uncommunicative. He's not chatty and it makes me uncomfortable when I hear him muttering under his breath. He's assured me that I'm doing a good job but his behavior makes me really anxious. Any tips? T.C., Dallas, TX

Confirming that there is no issue with your performance is a good first step. Even better, his behavior is giving you the opportunity to adapt to a new style. Most communication is non-verbal, and you can learn a lot about people by observing their behavior. Work on learning his cues so you can determine how to best interact with him. Where does he tend to focus? What elicits a verbal response from him?
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Recommended Resources

Need techniques for handling the physical effects of workplace stress? Check out our Q&A on SingleEdition.com

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About Us: Our Corporate Life LLC (OCL) is a company that offers a new system for reducing unnecessary workplace suffering caused by the organizational, interpersonal, and ethical issues of our time. It is founded on the belief that adhering to core human values and achieving business success are always compatible. Working with both companies and individuals, OCL helps create solutions that enable corporate employees at every level to optimize profits while enabling them to thrive in the corporate environment. OCL was founded by Amanda Mitchell to help meet the needs of people working in corporate America during this transformative moment in our nation's history. The OCL system reflects her experience and insight gained from a 20–year corporate career working with Fortune 500 companies, and as an executive coach to senior–level corporate executives.