I started a job in January. The first week I screwed something up in an email that I cc: the woman I work with. I heard her across the office say "Shit!". I wondered what happened. Next thing I know she's in my cube yelling at me. I was pretty shocked seeing as I just started the job and don't know all the ins and outs of the job and people.

One of the reasons I was interested in the job was there would be travel involved. We went to Europe about 2 months into the job to host a 100 person conference. It was the boss, she and I. We got there on a Sat afternoon. As soon as we got there she frantically started opening boxes we had had delivered previously. She was hyperventalating. I asked why there was such a rush since we had until Mon before the thing began. She explained she couldnt rest until she opened them. I left her to it.

She knew it was my first time to Europe and the country my family originated. Sun afternoon the BOSS asked me if I would be interested to go on a 3hour tour of the city and asked me to ask her too. I told her what he said. She said "We're here to work not tour! You'll be up til 3:00am getting your stuff done if you go!" I was pretty surprised at her reaction. Then she said "I already made plans!" (she knew someone in the city). "I guess he <the boss> wants company."

On the tour my boss asked how things were going between us. I said she seemed pretty intense and I relayed her comments of the tour. He asked what there was left to do before the conference. I told him I thought I just needed to print 20 pages of something. "What's the big deal then?" he said. "I don't know" I said. I suggested he call her and make sure I wasn't overlooking anything. When we got back it took about 45 minutes for me to get my stuff done.

Some other women in the office approached me one day and said they felt bad for me that I had to work so closely with her. They said she was crazy and others who worked for her didn't like her.

How would you have reacted to her comments about the tour???

Bosses are well-known to be intense and generally a pain in the ass. That is what makes them productive bosses..

If she is in a position of authority over you, I suggest you always put work ahead of pleasure, or you will suffer her wrath.

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