Dear Corporate Governess
My boss started following my Twitter feed, and it feels creepy. Now I have to filter everything through a work-related lens and worry about what he thinks. Should I say something? —Josh Gibson, Toronto
Dear Josh
Since you've got your boss's ear, why not use it for good? Freshbooks founder—and frequent Twitterer—Mike McDerment says he follows several of his employees' accounts because they talk about the same things he's interested in (typically news about their industry) and link to good articles. A friendly chat about a recent tweet could make for a better connection the next time you ride the elevator with the boss. "Twitter is a public forum," says McDerment. "By being on it, anyone is free to follow you, whether they believe what you believe or categorically oppose you. Unless you turn on 'private mode,' you're making the decision to be public—and it's very unusual in the Twitterverse for anyone to be doing it in private."
McDerment, as well as other leaders I spoke with, suggested there are deeper issues here. You clearly don't trust your boss, so you need to work on that. Also, if you were thinking of saying something bad about him or your job, you shouldn't do it on Twitter. "It's very unprofessional to vent on Twitter," says McDerment. "Before you push that button, remember anyone can see this. Ask yourself, Am I okay with that? and think about what it could do to your own personal brand."
Dear Corporate Governess
I've worked at my company for more than two years and haven't had a significant pay increase, despite solid performance reviews. Is there a good way to ask for a raise? —Jamie M., Waterloo, Ontario
Dear Jamie
The bad news is salaries have been pretty stagnant for decades and aren't improving much. A survey by consulting firm Aon Hewitt predicts businesses will only increase salaries in 2018 for their top performers. But if you don't ask, you'll never get the bigger bucks.
Alan Kearns, job coach and founder of CareerJoy, says your strategy should be to look for projects that raise your visibility across the organization. For instance, if you're in finance, can you work on a marketing project that relates to finance? For the actual ask, you've got to present your business case. Kearns recommends writing a one-pager on what you've done this past year, including projects you've worked on and their impact. But, remember—it's not just the hard numbers that matter. You also have to highlight the social and creative elements that make you an asset.