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Money [email protected] ©2016 READING EAGLE COMPANY BUSINESS EDITOR ANDY ANDREWS: 610-371-5080 FAX: 610-371-5098 A8 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2016 READING EAGLE, READING, PA. Q : One of my co-workers is extremely angry be- cause I shared some information with my boss. “Grace” and I manage complex projects for a global consulting firm. Recently, an important client complained to me about the quality of Grace’s work on a previous assignment. Because the firm needs to keep this client happy, I mentioned the concerns to my manager, who asked me to summarize them in an email. Despite some misgiv- ings, I agreed to do this. My boss forwarded the email to Grace’s manager, who then sent it to her. Now Grace is furious with me. How can I fix this and avoid similar prob- lems in the future? A: Because client relation- ships are the lifeblood of any consulting firm, Grace defi- nitely needed this feedback. However, you should have given her a heads-up before reporting the complaints to management. For example: “Grace, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but Bob at XYZ Corp. is un- happy about certain aspects of your last engagement there. Because I’m currently work- ing with him, I have to share this information with my boss. She might mention it to your manager, so I thought I should let you know.” Although delivering this message would not be pleas- ant, the advance notice could have allowed Grace to break the news to management her- self. As it was, people were discussing her competence in emails before she even knew there was a problem. So if you wish to repair this relation- ship, you must acknowledge your mistake. ••• Q: My boss is a microman- aging dictator. She is very condescending and won’t let anyone make decisions with- out her approval. She gave me a reprimand when I hadn’t done anything wrong. I feel mistreated and disrespected, but don’t know what to do about it. Should I ask human resources to intervene? A: When a lone employee criticizes the boss’s leadership style, management may view it as a personality conflict. But if several people present the same case, it begins to look as though there might really be a problem. Therefore, if you plan to report your overbear- ing manager, you should think in terms of “we,” not “I.” Before contacting HR, see if other dissatisfied colleagues will agree to accompany you. Instead of complaining about your boss’s character, provide specific examples of how her actions are adversely affecting your work. Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach and the author of “Secrets to Winning at Office Politics.” Send in ques- tions and get free coaching tips at www. yourofficecoach.com. How to mend relationship with colleague Marie G. McIntyre OFFICE COACH By Andy Andrews Reading Eagle “This is a nice way to meet people,” said Deborah Ram- sey, human resources and client services manager at Gage Personnel, Reading, about the annual Taste of the Chamber event Wednesday evening. Ramsey joined 379 others for the event, sponsored by the Greater Reading Cham- ber of Commerce & Industry, and conducted for the second year in its new location at the Reading Regional Airport in Bern Township. For Ramsey and Gage, she said it is a nice way of not only meeting new clients but to “get to see people who we cur- rently work with and haven’t seen.” The event included seven sponsors and 22 food and bev- erage vendors. Some of them were new members. “Five were companies who became Chamber members just within the past year,” said Bethany Kirkner, Chamber director of events. “It’s excit- ing to see them engaging with the chamber community so quickly and taking advantage of the exposure Taste of the Chamber provides.” New members welcomed The five new members in- clude Secrets Bakery, West Reading; Folino Estate Vine- yard & Winery, Greenwich Township; DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, Reading; Lorah’s Handmade Chocolates, Brec- knock Township; and Pure Wild Tea LLC, Upper Tulpe- hocken Township. Staff from The Abraham Lincoln hotel were there to serve and break the word about the hotel’s pub, Abe’s, which has been rebranded. “We’re holding a grand opening in three weeks,” ac- cording to Kelly Weir, sales manager for the hotel. She was accompanied by Jeffery Strauss, food and bev- erage director. No exact date has yet been set, Weir said. The entrees are prepared by Chef Alan’s American Bistro, with a loca- tion in West Reading. Abe’s, with a brand-new menu, is open for lunch and dinner and offers happy hour. ViVA Restaurants & Cater- ing Group hosted a wine and beer bar. Nicholas Staub of- fered premier beers, includ- ing Sam Adams Boston lager, Corona Extra and others. “ViVA Catering has attend- ed the Taste of the Chamber since 2012,” said Rachael Romig, marketing director and special events planner for the group. Romig said ViVA has been attending for the past six years and recalled the event as the Chamber Winter Picnic. Play money For the fourth annual ca- sino games, there was play money at several blackjack, craps, roulette and other tables. New to the event was ex- hibitor Dolce de Zabala, West Reading. Owner Johanna Zabala featured gluten-free almost guiltless cookies, with dark chocolate, walnuts, sugar and cocoa powder and glu- ten-free dark chocolate pot d’creme. Other vendors included Tompkins VIST Bank, repre- sented by Rosemary Gaul, vice president and business devel- opment officer and Anthony E. Sabolis, vice president, com- munity commercial lending manager. The major spon- sor has been at the Chamber event since 2008, giving away items from a drawing for an ice bucket filled with pens, chargers, a hat, thermos and a sweatshirt. Also, Forrest Hills Memo- rial Park Inc., Exeter Town- ship, represented by Don A. Shade and Kyle Holland, fam- ily service counselors, was on hand. Attendees could enter a drawing for $60 and $40 din- ing cards. Contact Business Editor Andy An- drews: 610-371-5080 or aandrews@ readingeagle.com. Hundreds gather at the Reading Regional Airport for a Chamber- sponsored event that featured food, fun and friendship. READING EAGLE: BEN HASTY From left are Jeffery Stauss, and Kelly Weir, representing Abe’s, serving people at the table during the Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s Taste of the Chamber. READING EAGLE: BEN HASTY From left are Rosi Hillbish, master baker, and Jeffrey Hollenbach, director of food and beverage at the Inn at Reading, during the Chamber event. Filling a plate, building the Rolodex The Associated Press WASHINGTON — Orders to U.S. companies for long- lasting manufactured goods advanced in January at the strongest pace in 10 months. Moreover, a key category that tracks business investment surged by the largest amount in 19 months. The bigger-than-expected gains could be a sign of better days ahead for the nation’s beleaguered manufacturers. Orders for durable goods, items ranging from autos and appliances to steel and ma- chinery, rose 4.9 percent last month, the Commerce De- partment reported Thursday. That represented a rebound from a 4.6 percent plunge in December. Demand in a category that serves as a proxy for business investment plans rose 3.9 per- cent in January, reversing a 3.7 percent fall in December. It was the biggest advance in this category since June 2014. The overall increase was led by a 54.2 percent surge in de- mand for commercial aircraft, a very volatile category that can swing sharply from month to month depending on or- ders to Boeing. Demand for defense aircraft and parts also increased in January, rising 84.8 percent. Orders for autos and auto parts rose 3 percent, as automakers continued to enjoy strong demand. Orders in all transportation categories rose 11.5 percent. Excluding transportation, du- rable goods orders were up a more moderate 1.8 percent, still the best showing since June 2014. The 4.9 percent overall increase was double what many private economists had been forecasting. It could be a sign of brighter prospects for manufacturing in 2016 after a rough 2015 in many sectors. U.S. companies have been hurt by a weak global economy and a rising value for the dollar, which makes their goods less competitive on overseas markets. Still, analysts caution against reading too much into one month of data. They note that many major overseas markets are still struggling with weak growth and the dol- lar has risen even further in recent months. The business investment category has been hurt by the plunge in oil prices which has triggered sharp cutbacks in drilling and exploration by U.S. energy companies. For January, orders for machinery rose a strong 6.9 percent while demand for computers increased 6.4 per- cent. Orders for appliances and other electrical products increased 1.1 percent. Orders for durable goods jump in January
