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I Was the Architect of My Own Suffering Until I Learned to Self-Advocate
Learning to be your own advocate is a tough but necessary skill
At my former job, my manager’s office was right outside my cubicle. People literally cut across my workspace to get to her door. She liked to keep her office door open at all times, including when she was on the phone or having meetings.
Since her meetings took place six feet away from me, I was the unwitting third party in every conversation she had. Meanwhile, my job as an analyst and content creator required concentration and focus.
I’m guessing you can see the problem.
For weeks, I griped inwardly about how inconsiderate she was. How could she not know how challenging this was for me? How did she not understand the constant distraction was making my job virtually impossible?
How could she not care?
Finally, at a company-wide meeting, the president asked how I liked being so close to my manager’s busy office.
“Oh, I love it,” I replied with obvious sarcasm. “It’s amazing. I get soooo much work done.”
My reaction succeeded in making my manager and co-workers understand how challenging my situation was. They looked a little shocked, and a…
