your manager stopped listening

Your manager turns to you in a meeting and asks, “Where are we on this, Reader?” You weren't expecting the question, and the project is running behind. Before you've had a second to think, you start explaining: "I've been chasing updates from vendors, finding workarounds, and doing everything I can to keep things moving." All of it's true, and you're hoping it shows you haven't dropped the ball. In reality, the extra context leaves your manager guessing what it means for the deadline, and it...