I work for a company as a contracts and proposals writer. Right now I was feeling the desire to eat/buffer, but realized that it’s anxiety because I’m not getting a response from my manager on a pricing question. The agreement needs to be sent today, and I can’t send it until I get approval. It was already discussed during a morning call with the team, she sent me her feedback but did not include the price approval, and then I sent a follow-up email asking about the pricing approval. Nor response so far (and it’s already 4:45pm ET). I find myself in this situation frequently – where I’m waiting to hear back from the manager on something past the time/date she said it would be gotten to me.

So here is the circumstance: there is a contract due today close of business day, I am waiting on pricing confirmation from my manager, and it’s almost close of business day. I have several models below for that circumstance. Can you advise on the models below, as well as anything else I’m missing? Also, I’m not sure what I want my intentional model to be. How do I feel empowered when I literally am not getting something I need from my boss in order to be my word to a client and help the bottom line for the company?

Model 1
T: She needs to manage her time better – delegate better, get more help, whatever.
F: Annoyed
A: make her wrong in my head; feel upset at my inability to change her/powerless; want to buffer; don’t get my own work done; don’t prompt her more (I have prompted her already this morning during a team call and via follow-up email).
R: I fail to manage my time better because I’m not managing my mind well.

Model 2:
T: I feel like a douchebag because I can’t follow through on my word to the client due to my manager not following up on her word
F: embarrassed
A: stress over how embarrassing it is that I can’t be my word; worry that client will be annoyed at me/us; paralyzed in my inability to make something happen.
R: I’m not following up on my word to manage my own mind

Model 3:
T: She is taking on a lot and I don’t want to bother her
F: pity
A: make excuses for her in my head, try to tolerate things, don’t follow up with her, follow up with her in indirect and piteous ways (“I know you’re super busy, but….”)
R: ?

Model 4:
T: I don’t want to piss her off
F: Afraid
A: Try to come up with ways to prompt her for this without pissing her off – asking the sales person on the account to prompt her, etc. Try to think of ways to get her to act differently.
R: ?

Model 5:
T: She should get this stuff to me when she said she would and when it’s due to the client or prospect.
F: Frustrated
A: Vent about her to myself (and occasionally to my husband).
R: ?

Model 6:
T: This is an issue with her and no one with the power to do things about this does anything about it to either help her or chastise her or something.
F: Resigned
A: Lightly complain about her to some other co-workers in a resigned way about “who knows when she will get to xyz.” Stop trying to improve things in my work life. Give up on doing a good job.
R: I give up my own power to do something about it.