I had a job where I kept forgetting to do things that I was supposed to do, and missing deadlines. So my boss told me to keep a running list of things to do (and showed me how she tracked her own tasks) and we set up a weekly meeting to go over what I was working on, what I had finished, and what was still outstanding. After that, I stopped forgetting to do things, AND we had a chance to talk each week about ongoing tasks, any problems that came up, etc. Things worked a lot better.

I guess you could say I should have already known that I should be writing down a to-do list — and you would be right — but what my boss did was a better outcome for me, her, and for the organization than my being fired and them having to go to all the trouble of hiring someone else!

It might do some good to explain that sloppy editing/proofing is about the best way to look unprofessional or amateurish.

Sure, it's probably a motivation/focus issue. Being HS classmates can't help. But sit her down and try to convey that she's making herself, you, your boss, and the org as a whole look foolish by publishing shoddy copy. Heck, it's worth a shot.

Positively dreading the comments to come after someone brought up ADD/ADHD). Good gravy, it'll be another Sleep Disordergate!

If people are walking up to her desk to ask for research, it may be better for them to send an e-mail instead. She doesn't get immediately distracted by a conversation and the other person can have proof that she agreed to help out when she replies to them. If she's already getting these requests in e-mails then she should come to a good stopping point in her work before reading and responding.

Now she should really be telling you if she feels distracted but that's some advice to pass along if that's her problem. (I can tell you from experience that getting a phone call, multiple IMs, and several e-mails all at once can make you want to tear your hair out.)

Try out solutions posted by others.One more thing; probbably she lacks something on concentration side of work. There are techniques such as meditation, yoga which can help her to improve.

Vijay,Dubai

A little advice on promoting may do the trick for you. You seem fairly new to this leadership roll and it seems like you feel stuck in the middle. If you are truly new to this leadership thing, please take the time to decide if a leadership roll is or is not for you. If you decide that it is not for you can stop reading as nothing below this will be of any use to you.

Now that that is out, on with the problem at hand.

Right now you feel stuck in the middle between a job and friend, don't you? Well, that's ok, because you are in the middle. Time to get used to it, it comes with the territory.

As a leader it is your job to make hard decisions. You have a particularly hard dilemma that needs to be addressed quickly for the sake of both you and your direct report. If you allow this situation to persist your boss will notice and it will affect you. Curiously, the same is true with your direct report.

A high percentage of new leaders fail to get out of the starting box after being promoted, by that I mean, new leaders tend to have a hard time moving past the duties and relationships they had prior to advancing.

Well it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee and either embrace your new position or let it go. Follow the advice EHRL and the others have given you and get to work.

Hint, hint, if you’re so called friend was truly a friend she would be happy for you and want to help you be successful in your new position.

Very tempting to point out the spelling error/typo in the last paragraph of the supervisor's post.

"…and then no to do…"

Couldn't resist…

My point is that when criticism (albeit justifiable) is directed towards subordinates, you had better dot your i's and cross your t's all of the time. Your subordinate will be watching you like a hawk.