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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about a delivery manager's appreciation mail for my weekend work that my manager did not acknowledge all day, until he replied at the end of the day and copied the business unit head. I have rewritten it into advice on handling recognition at work.

After working weekends on a proposal, the offshore delivery manager sent an appreciation note to my manager and his onsite counterpart, and the onsite delivery manager also acknowledged my work. My manager usually forwards such notes to the whole team, but for most of the day he said nothing. At the end of the day he replied to both managers with thanks, copied the business unit head and his own manager, and forwarded the mail to my whole team. Looping in the unit head happens rarely, and it surprised me.

Why might a manager be slow to respond to appreciation?

Often for ordinary reasons: a busy day, or wanting to reply properly rather than quickly. In my case the delay turned out to be the opposite of what I feared, because the reply went to more senior people than usual. Silence for a few hours is rarely a message.

What should you do when someone appreciates your work?

• Thank them directly: a short reply to the sender, copying your manager.
• Save the mail: keep a folder of appreciation notes for your appraisal.
• Mention it in your self-review: with the date and what the work was.
• Credit others: if colleagues helped, say so in your reply.

How much does senior visibility matter?

A great deal in large organisations, where ratings are often calibrated in meetings your manager attends. A unit head who has seen your name on a positive mail is more likely to recognise it later. That is why managers choose carefully when to copy senior people.

What if your work is never acknowledged?

Ask your manager, calmly, how your work on specific bids was seen. If recognition never comes, keep your own record of outcomes and use it at appraisal time. Visibility can be built, but it rarely happens by accident.

Is weekend work worth it for recognition?

Occasionally, for a real deadline. As a habit, it tends to become expected rather than appreciated, so protect your weekends where you can.

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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about sending a solution deck to a delivery expert who kept promising a review "within an hour" and then did not reply. I have rewritten it into a guide to chasing reviews without damaging the working relationship.

I had framed the solution from my understanding of the client's needs and my earlier experience, and sent it to the delivery expert. I expected a response the next day. There was nothing: no reply, no acknowledgement. When I called, she said she was busy and would come back within an hour with updates, and that everything would be closed by the end of the day. I did not yet know that those promises would not be kept and I would have to keep pushing.

Why do reviewers promise and then go quiet?

Because the promise is made to end the call. Delivery work usually has closer deadlines and louder escalations than a proposal, so the review keeps slipping. It is rarely personal, which is useful to remember when you follow up.

How do you chase a review effectively?

• Make it small: list the three or four slides that need their input, not the whole deck.
• Offer a slot: "Can we go through it for 15 minutes at 4pm?" is harder to postpone than an open request.
• Confirm in writing: after the call, send a one-line mail with the agreed time.
• State the consequence: "Without your review, the estimate goes as drafted" often gets a response.

When should you involve your manager?

When the delay threatens the submission. Share the timeline of requests and replies, and ask your manager to agree time with the reviewer's manager. Do it before the deadline, not after.

What can you do to reduce the risk next time?

Agree review dates at kick-off, and build in a buffer day before submission. If a particular reviewer is always late, send drafts earlier and in smaller pieces.

Is it acceptable to submit without the review?

Only if your manager agrees and the assumptions are clearly stated. A proposal with unreviewed estimates can create problems later in delivery, so record who approved the decision.

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• Handling Anonymous Criticism of Your Work
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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I followed up my iPhone launch review, arguing that the iPhone XS was overpriced, that Apple's battery throttling had hurt trust, and that most sensible buyers would choose the cheaper XR. I have rewritten it with what happened next.

After the 2018 launch I was sceptical of the line-up. The XS seemed too expensive for a phone. Apple had also been accused of slowing older iPhones with worn batteries, and as an owner of an older iPhone I felt that had damaged the phone's reliability. The XR, with its LCD screen and single rear camera, ran the same A12 Bionic chip as the expensive models, and I thought most buyers on a budget would pick it.

Was the iPhone XR the better buy?

For most people, yes. It shared the flagship chip and had excellent battery life, and it went on to sell very strongly. The XS offered an OLED screen, a telephoto camera and a smaller body, which mattered to some buyers but not enough to justify the price for many.

What happened with battery throttling?

Apple acknowledged that iOS managed performance on iPhones with degraded batteries to avoid unexpected shutdowns, apologised, offered discounted battery replacements and added a battery health screen in settings. It also faced legal action in several countries over the issue. The lasting change is that you can now see battery health and turn performance management off.

How should you judge a phone's price?

• Years of software support: a longer supported life lowers the real yearly cost.
• What the extra money buys: a better camera or screen, and whether you use it.
• Resale value: iPhones tend to hold value, which offsets part of the price.
• Battery replacement cost: a new battery can extend a phone's life by years.

Is the XR worth buying now?

Not as a main phone. It no longer gets the newest iOS versions, and any used one will have an old battery. The general lesson holds, though: the model one step below the flagship is often the best value in any year.

Keep reading

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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about whether to keep my iPhone 6 after a battery replacement or switch to an affordable Android phone. I have rewritten it into a guide to deciding whether a new battery is enough.

I had used my iPhone 6 for more than three years, and I was neither fully satisfied nor dissatisfied with it. It qualified for Apple's battery replacement programme, and after the new battery it worked well again. The battery had been my only real complaint, so I had little reason to buy a new phone. Apps took a few seconds longer to open, which I could live with rather than paying monthly instalments on a new phone. Friends kept telling me that affordable Android phones performed much better, but I worried about their reliability and how long they would last.

When is a battery replacement enough?

When the battery is the main problem and the phone still receives security updates. A new battery restores battery life and, on iPhones, removes the performance management that iOS applies to worn batteries. That can make an old phone feel noticeably faster.

When is it time to upgrade?

• Software support has ended: no more security updates, and apps start dropping support.
• Storage is always full: and cannot be managed by clearing photos and apps.
• A feature you need is missing: for example, reliable UPI apps, 5G coverage or camera quality.
• Repairs cost more than the phone is worth.

Are budget Android phones reliable?

Many are, but update policies vary widely. Some brands now promise several years of Android and security updates even on mid-range phones, while others offer little. Check the promised update period before buying, as it matters more than the processor for how long the phone stays usable.

What does keeping an old phone save?

The price of a new phone, spread over the extra years of use, minus the cost of a battery. Keeping a phone for four or five years is usually much cheaper than upgrading every two.

Did I make the right call?

For the time, yes: a battery kept a working phone useful. The iPhone 6 later lost iOS support, which is the point at which any phone should be replaced.

Keep reading

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Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about settling into a new company after proving myself on projects and returning from my wedding break, and then being unsettled when the colleague who joined with me moved to another team. I have rewritten it into advice on handling that kind of change.

After joining the company and proving myself on several projects, I took a short break for my wedding a few months later, and worked harder than ever before and after it to establish myself. On my return I was given tough tasks that needed precision, and I handled them. Just when things were going well, the colleague who had joined with me left for another team, looking for more recognition and learning. I felt I had hit a roadblock, though I still hoped I would be recognised and rated fairly in my own team.

Why does a peer leaving feel like a setback?

Because you measure your progress against the person who started with you. When they move, it can feel like they found something you are missing. Often it only means their priorities are different.

Should you follow them?

Only if the reasons apply to you. Ask yourself whether your own learning and recognition are stalled, or whether things are simply going more slowly than you would like. A move made to keep pace with someone else rarely works.

How do you make your own progress visible?

• Record outcomes: projects delivered, problems solved, client feedback.
• Ask for a mid-year check-in: where your manager tells you how you are tracking.
• Take on one stretch task: something that shows a skill beyond your grade.
• Keep in touch with the colleague: they can tell you honestly how the other team is.

How do you balance a big life event with a new job?

Tell your manager early, plan the handover of your work, and agree what happens while you are away. Returning to planned work is easier than returning to a backlog.

What does fair recognition look like?

A rating that matches documented outcomes, explained by your manager. If you get one without an explanation, ask for it. The conversation itself is part of being recognised.

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