Hey, it's Rachel Cook, your modern mentor. And today's episode is for anyone who's feeling a little bit

unhappy or maybe underwhelmed at work. It might be time to have a talk with your boss. So let's talk

some strategies for having a winning conversation. Earlier this year, I was having multiple conversations every week about

people feeling overwhelmed at work and burned out. It was such a pervasive experience. People were

working like crazy to retain customers or keep supply chains from breaking down or just not

lose their jobs in a scary time. And while burnout remains very

present, I'm starting to hear a bit of a different storyline. Now that people have a chance

to catch their breath and reflect, they're starting to realize that they just aren't happy

where they are and they want to do something about it. If you're feeling unhappy at work,

bored, underwhelmed, underutilized, it may be time to have a chat with your boss. Does it sound

scary? It does not have to be. Let's talk about the critical components of a successful

conversation that lets you air your grievances and delivers you a better outcome.

First, be specific about your unhappiness. In the past few weeks alone, I've talked to three

different people feeling generally unhappy at work. But when I asked each to articulate the

specific source of unhappiness, I got blank stares.

So I asked some leading questions, and I ended up with the following insights.

Alex generally enjoys her team and her company's culture, and she thinks the products they're

selling are pretty cool. But her work has become repetitive, mundane, and a little bit isolating.

She needs a new challenge.

James is feeling challenged and excited by the work he's doing,

but he's feeling underappreciated and not really valued for his contributions and his thought leadership.

And Bashir just isn't passionate about his company's products, and he wants to feel more

...