Ask "Z"

The next great Lifetime movie

March 11, 2020
Q. I’m a single female VP (it took me 10 years to rise up) who is romantically attracted to a charming male subordinate. We have a strict no-fraternization policy. I love my job and I’m falling in love with him. I know I can’t have both. Help!

Feeling the fire’s heat

March 11, 2020
Q. I received a directive from above to “find a reason to fire” a worker I hired several years ago. This person did nothing wrong from what I see, but the powers-that-be must have their reasons why they no longer want him employed here. Should I demand an explanation from them, or should I work on the termination?

Pssst! Guess who’s (not) getting fired!

February 13, 2020
Q. There’s a whisper campaign among employees that the company might be replacing me. There’s no truth to that. Should I shrug it off and let it die on its own or should I set the record straight?

The language of your door

February 13, 2020
Q. As an executive, I’ve got a lot on my plate that needs my undivided attention. With that said, I also have an open-door policy in which I encourage employees or front-line managers to use. However, not every issue they bring to me rises to the level of urgency. How can I keep an open-door policy and at the same time discourage people barging in with trivial problems that could wait?

Haters gonna hate, askers gonna ask

January 15, 2020
Q. Lately, many of my employees have been asking me what I think are inconvenient questions. This is causing me to fire back with a snide remark, rather than a constructive answer. What can I do?

If you can’t say something nice …

January 9, 2020
Q. I’ve been watching my boss botch move after move for a few years now, and it’s tough not to get swept up in the talk at work about his errors. I’d like to play devil’s advocate, but what argument can I make in defense of such a poor leader?

Time for an adventure?

December 13, 2019
Q. Did you ever take some time away from the job, or between jobs, to embark upon a personal quest of some sort? I’m pondering how a truly epic journey might change my life (even if it hurts my career).

Hold that holiday message to the staff

December 13, 2019
Q. I’m not sure what to say to the staff at the start of the holiday party this year, and I’m always nervous in front of that many people (about 500). We didn’t have a good year at all … any advice?

To tweet or not to tweet?

November 7, 2019
Q. What sort of advice do you give leaders about their personal use of social media?

Leadership by watching, waiting

November 7, 2019
Q. What is the biggest mistake you see leaders making today?