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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about being pulled into a bid with one of the most demanding account teams, with a small role for me, 7:30am calls, and a phone call chasing me when I deliberately skipped the first one. I have rewritten it into advice on working with a demanding account team.

After a short-deadline bid was dropped, I was put on another with an account team known across the business as the most demanding. I tried to find a way out, ran out of ideas, and had to take it on. On the first day they described a presentation for the client's top leadership, where my part was small. They also set calls at 7:30am, when I usually woke at nine. Frustrated, I skipped the first call on purpose, and one of the account team rang me to say everyone was waiting. I joined, with little interest in what was being said.

Why are some account teams so demanding?

Big clients, senior audiences and revenue targets. A presentation to a client's leadership carries high stakes, and the account team feels every risk. Demanding is often another word for anxious.

How do you work well with a demanding team?

• Clarify your part early: exactly which slides or answers you own.
• Give updates before they ask: a short mail each day stops the chasing.
• Agree call times: if 7:30am does not work, say so in advance and offer an alternative.
• Deliver early: nothing calms an anxious team more.

Is skipping a call a good way to protest?

No. It delays everyone, and the team remembers it. A polite message the day before, asking whether you are needed or suggesting a later slot, achieves the same aim without damage.

What if you cannot get off the bid?

Then treat it as a chance to be seen by senior people. Doing a small part very well on a high-profile bid is often noticed more than a large part on a routine one.

What would I do differently?

Join the first call, ask about my part, and negotiate the timings openly. Resentment made the bid feel longer than it was.

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• Your Manager Committed You to Weekend Work: Respond

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about weekend bid work when Skype on my office laptop failed, telling the delivery expert I could be reached by phone, and switching to WebEx when we needed to share screens. I have rewritten it into advice on keeping a bid moving when collaboration tools fail.

During weekend support for a bid, Skype for Business would not work on my office laptop. I used a workaround on my personal laptop, but I told the delivery expert only that I had Skype sign-in problems and could be reached on mobile for anything urgent. He was fine with that and gave me work to finish within a few hours, which I did and sent for review. Then we needed to share screens to agree the solution's theme, which Skype could not do for me. The expert suggested we meet on WebEx instead, and it worked.

What should you tell colleagues when tools fail?

The plain facts: what is not working and how to reach you. Honesty is simpler than a cover story, and colleagues are usually as practical as my delivery expert was.

What are the alternatives for screen sharing?

• Another approved meeting tool: such as the one the other team uses.
• Sharing the file: both people open the same version and talk it through by phone.
• Screenshots in mail: for quick reviews of a few slides.

Should you use unapproved tools or devices?

Only within your company's security policy. Some employers allow web versions of their tools on any device; others do not. When unsure, ask IT or use the phone.

How do you keep weekend work efficient?

Agree the task and deadline in one message, finish it, send it with a short note, and schedule any review for a set time. That is what made this weekend manageable.

What did I take from it?

That the work matters more than the channel. A phone call and an open file can carry a bid when the usual tools do not.

Keep reading

• On Standby for One Project, Pulled Back to Another
• Your Manager Committed You to Weekend Work: Respond
• Quiet Days and Colleagues Leaving: What to Do

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about the morning the 2015 Chennai rains finally stopped after three days, finding the water still knee-deep at the gate, packing to drive to my home town, and a surprise visitor at my door. I have rewritten it into advice on leaving home safely after a flood.

After another broken night, praying the rain would not harm anyone or damage the building, I woke at about 8am and saw the sun for the first time in three days. I went straight to the gate. The water was still knee-deep, but this time I felt ready to drive through it and escape. I went back up and packed the essentials: my MacBook Pro, office laptop, chargers and some clothes. Then the doorbell rang, which I was not expecting.

Is it safe to drive through floodwater?

Often not. Water can hide open drains, potholes and debris, and moving water can push a car sideways. If you must drive through standing water, go slowly in a low gear, do not stop, and avoid water above the bottom of the doors. Never drive through moving water.

What should you take when leaving?

• Documents: ID, insurance papers and important certificates, in a waterproof bag.
• Medicines: for several days.
• Devices and chargers: including work laptops.
• Cash: ATMs and card machines may not work.

What should you do before locking up?

Switch off the mains, shut the gas, move valuables to higher shelves, and tell a neighbour or the building office that you are leaving and how to reach you.

What should you check after the water recedes?

Your car's engine and electrics before running it for long, the home's wiring before switching the mains back on, and insurance terms for flood damage. Take photos for any claim.

Who was at the door?

A colleague, as I described in a later post, who had travelled a long way to check on me. Help often comes from people, not plans, and it is worth checking on colleagues who live alone when a disaster strikes.

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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about being asked by a difficult delivery expert to update delivery content I knew nothing about, and choosing not to lose my temper because it would delay the bid and damage a relationship I needed. I have rewritten it into advice on staying calm with difficult colleagues.

I was annoyed when the difficult expert asked me to update delivery content I had no knowledge of. I did not object. I said I would check with my peers, but that it would help if he provided the information. I searched every source I had without success, and in the end the expert shared the information himself. I did not lose my temper, for two reasons. An outburst would have delayed the information further and invited complaints from other teams. And I would have had to keep working with him, since he oversaw the account I was assigned to.

Why is staying calm usually the better choice?

Because you still need what the other person has. Anger rarely speeds up help, and in a long working relationship, one outburst is remembered far longer than the reason for it.

How do you respond to an unreasonable request?

• Acknowledge it: without agreeing to more than you can do.
• Say what you need: "I can update this if you send the delivery details."
• Look for the information: and report back on what you found.
• Put it in writing: so the request and your answer are clear.

When is it right to push back firmly?

When a request is outside your role and repeated, or when it risks errors in the client response. Firm and calm is not the same as angry. Involve your manager if the pattern continues.

How do you manage your own frustration?

Step away briefly, write down what is bothering you, and deal with it later. A short walk before replying to a mail prevents most regrets.

Did staying calm pay off?

Yes. The information arrived, the document was finished, and I kept a working relationship on an account I would stay on.

Keep reading

• When Your Lead Rejects a Slide the Client Team Accepted
• Quiet Days and Colleagues Leaving: What to Do
• On Standby for One Project, Pulled Back to Another

Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about a Saturday after a pointless work call, when a pile of unwashed dishes and hunger left me short-tempered with my wife on the phone, before I cleaned up, cooked, and settled in for the cricket. I have rewritten it into advice on protecting a weekend from work spillover.

After an unimportant Saturday morning call, I killed time watching television until noon. When hunger arrived, I realised I had not washed the dishes, which frustrated me more. My wife rang to ask whether I had eaten, knowing I often skip lunch without reminders, and I snapped at her about the dishes. I did not want to order food, since it is expensive and sometimes worse than my own cooking. So I cleaned up and cooked, and after a good lunch looked forward to India's Test match against England later that afternoon.

Why does a small work call spoil a whole day?

Because it breaks the day's rhythm. You wake early, wait around, and the rest of the day feels half at work. Frustration then spills into small things, as it did for me.

How do you get a weekend back after a work call?

• Close the laptop afterwards: and put it out of sight.
• Plan the rest of the day: a meal, an outing or a film.
• Do chores early: so they do not ambush you later.
• Eat on time: hunger makes every annoyance larger.

How do you avoid taking frustration out on family?

Notice the moment and name it: "Sorry, the work call has put me in a bad mood." Apologise quickly if you snap. The people who check on you are rarely the cause of the problem.

Is cooking at home worth the effort?

Usually, for cost and health, and it is a good way to reset after work. Keeping a few simple ingredients ready makes it easier on tired days.

What is the lesson?

Work will sometimes take part of a weekend. Guard the rest deliberately, and be kind to the people who look out for you.

Keep reading

• Your Manager Committed You to Weekend Work: Respond
• How Client Appreciation Emails Help Your Rating
• Quiet Days and Colleagues Leaving: What to Do