Episode #50
Sticky Situations: The Unwritten Rules for Women at Work
There isn't an employee handbook for the awkward parts of work. What do you do when your boss hugs you every morning and you hate being hugged? What's the right move if your boss asks you to lie about something? And what does "business casual" even mean anymore? How can you fashion-judo a dress code to empower you at work? This week, we're pulling together some of Heather and Blakely's best answers to the workplace questions you've sent in over the past year. They're all from past Sticky Situation episodes, and put together, they add up to something bigger: the unwritten rules nobody hands you when you start a job. Boundaries. Integrity. How you're perceived versus who you actually are. The embarrassing moments that feel career-ending in the moment and forgettable a month later. And why some of the hardest career decisions have no perfect answer. Stick around to the end for a rapid-fire round of hot takes on office etiquette, social media, "mandatory fun," and the small workplace dilemmas that somehow become surprisingly complicated. Key Takeaways: How to set a boundary with a physically affectionate boss without damaging the relationship Why keeping your startup private while working another job may be the smartest move How to think about "business casual" when the rules seem to change depending on who's judging Why you should never lie on someone else's behalf — even if they're your boss A simple way to recover after an embarrassing moment at work Whether you should connect with your boss on social media Why "mandatory fun" isn't always as fun as it sounds The surprising rule for deciding whether to tell someone they have food in their teeth Please consider sharing this episode & subscribing to the show for more of the questions women want answered but rarely ask out loud. Follow Our Hosts: Blakely: https://www.instagram.com/blakelygraham Heather: https://www.instagram.com/heathercooper.nab Clay: https://www.instagram.com/claycarnill Follow Not All Business: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notallbiz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/notallbusiness Substack: https://notallbusiness.substack.com Submit Your Sticky Situations & Workplace Dilemmas: Got a sticky situation for Not All Business? Send a voice recording to sticky@notallbusiness.com or drop your question in the comments. Thank You to Our Sponsors: Face Five Acne Clinic, Root-Cause Acne Care, No Harsh Prescriptions Required: https://facefiveacne.com - code NOTALLBIZ10 for 10% off your first order Follow Face Five Skincare: https://www.instagram.com/facefiveskincare/ Follow Wellness with Yuki: https://www.instagram.com/wellnesswithyuki/ Not All Business is Sex Ed for Your Career — the honest questions women want answered but rarely ask out loud. Hosted by Heather Cooper and Blakely Graham, alongside producer and co-host Clay Carnill, new episodes drop every Thursday covering the real stuff: workplace drama, salary negotiation, imposter syndrome, and the sticky situations nobody has a script for. Subscribe so you never miss the next conversation.
