What's your Problem?

By Jeremy Bullmore Monday, 01 February 2010

I broke my boss's leg. Now he has it in for me.

Q: Ever since I managed to break my boss's leg in a friendly football match, he's had it in for me. Despite it being a complete accident, for which I apologised profusely at the time, he just won't let the matter lie. It's been two months now and he still continues to be mean to me at work. How do I put this disaster behind me and get things back to normal?

A: I don't know how long it takes for a broken leg to recover properly but it's probably a good two months. So every time your boss has a bit of a hobble, or can't run for a bus, or reluctantly forces himself to do his physiotherapy, he'll think of you - and not in a kindly way. But as the bone heals and normality returns, you should begin to fade from his consciousness a bit.

So if you keep smiling and don't let it get to you, and unless he's one of those people who bear grudges indefinitely - in which case, he can't be much fun to work for anyway - you should be in the clear quite soon. His comments should gradually change from being mean to being jocular.

In time, it could even begin to work to your advantage - you'll never be just one of his many faceless subordinates. Don't be tempted to do it again, though.