COMPUTERS
Outlook error message
Q: I’ve been using Microsoft Outlook on my 2010 MacBook Pro with the OS X version 10.6.8 operating system. But in March I started getting an error message when I tried to open Outlook. I still have the CD to reinstall Outlook. But is there an easy fix for this?
A: The fix is of medium difficulty. The Office for Mac software that includes the Outlook email program can behave this way if it’s been moved to a new storage location on the hard drive or if there are duplicate copies of Office on the drive. Microsoft explains how to fix it at http://www.tinyurl.com/86fjbfe. Another possibility is that the “user account” software for Office for Mac has become corrupted. If so, you’ll need to create a new user account. To do that, see Microsoft’s explanation at http://tinyurl.com/begtkls.
WORKPLACE
How to maintain team
Q: A manager on my team has moved on to a different company. We have a very cohesive group; what can I do to minimize the disruption from his departure and maintain the team’s strength?
A: Don’t hide from the emotions, and let other team members show their strengths. Deal with your own feelings first. When a team is running smoothly, a loss like this can be hard to take. Then shift your focus to your team. Consider the reactions they may be having, individual by individual, and the type of support each will need during the transition.
Determine your strategy for replacing this person and ensuring the work gets done. Evaluate your team’s strengths, and use this as a chance to make changes and build on your current success.
Finally, stop and think about why your team is strong and cohesive. What is the culture, and what is the role of each person in creating it? What do you bring? The departing manager? Each team member?
Your team is affected as a whole, so address the situation as a whole. Set up a team meeting to talk about the change, and the challenges and opportunities that come from it. It’s important to let people express concerns openly and have them validated. At the same time, you’ll want to convey a clear sense of optimism; people will follow the leadership message you send. Talk, too, about your understanding of your team’s culture and the priority you place on nurturing it.
— By Liz Reyer
Minneapolis Star Tribune
PLANNING
Adjust a trust
Figuring out how to make adjustments to a living trust can be a challenge. Carlena Tapella, estate planning attorney with Webb & Tapella Law Firm in Sacramento, Calif., has some advice:
Q: My wife and I each have one son from a prior marriage. They both are college graduates. My wife wants to get things sorted out so that when she dies her son is well taken care of. She has been talking about a trust. We have a good relationship, but I do not feel we have to save our money for them. I am not too concerned about my son, who can financially take care of himself. To make peace, I am about to see a financial planner. My heart tells me it is not the right thing to do. What is your view?
A: To the extent that your wife wants to sort things out now, it is a sensible idea. Far too often, especially when there are later marriages and children from prior marriages, things can get sticky if a husband and wife are not clear on what happens to their assets after their deaths. In my experience, however, most couples with children from prior marriages want to be sure that their children are treated as equally as possible after the second spouse dies. You should openly discuss your goals and how to achieve them with some mutual compromise. Each of you might not get everything you want, but talking with a financial planner and an estate planning attorney could avoid potential disagreements after your death.
— By Claudia Buck
Sacramento Bee