How do I tell my senior colleague that he is unprofessional?

APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chairman Karren Brady answers your career questions.

Here she offers advice to a reader who resents how unprofessional a senior colleague is.

Question: I’m 28 and my senior colleague in his 30s is very bad at his job.

He delegates work under the guise of ‘he’s too busy’, but then wanders off for long lunches and private phone calls.

I don’t even mind doing his job since I like my job and really like the company I work for, but I resent how unprofessional he is, especially since he has a higher rank (even though he isn’t my boss), and I can’t do that. stop thinking about how unfair the situation is.

How do I deal with him – and my anger – professionally?

Reeta, via email

Working with an uncooperative colleague can be frustrating, but it’s important to approach the situation professionally.

Continue to prioritize your own work and responsibilities, ensure you meet your deadlines and deliver high-quality results so that your work is never in question.

I understand that it can be difficult to control your frustration, but avoid expressing it openly to other colleagues.

Keep a record of any extra work you take on because of him.

If the problem persists and is negatively affecting your results, consider discussing the situation with your manager, but talk about yourself and not your colleague.

Explain that you don’t want it to go unnoticed that your scope of work has increased because of the additional responsibilities. While you enjoy doing this, you want to make sure your manager is aware of your workload.

Instead of dwelling on the unfairness of the situation, focus on finding solutions.

You will undoubtedly be promoted soon thanks to your hard work and success, while he doesn’t go anywhere except during his long lunches!