Dear Madeleine, I am a senior leader in a large nonprofit. My big struggle is with one employee who seems emotionally unstable. One day she is completely reasonable and easygoing, and the next she is reactive and flying off the handle for no apparent reason. I’ve learned to expect it, but her behavior is affecting…
Dear Madeleine, I started a new job about six months ago. My boss warned me about one of my direct reports—he said she was argumentative and difficult. For the first few months I thought she was okay, but now I’m beginning to see what my boss meant. She is hostile in meetings. She agrees to…
Dear Madeleine, I manage a fairly large group in engineering. My team has a good reputation with the rest of the company and works well together. Except for one person. I have one direct report that I just don’t know what to do with. “K” has always been a little bit prickly and unpredictable, but…
Dear Madeleine, I am the business unit CEO of a global consumer goods company. My CFO—let’s call him AG—is literally a genius; one of the smartest people I have ever worked with. I brought him with me from my previous company because he is good with numbers and he thinks strategically. He stays on top…
Dear Madeleine, I am the new regional sales head of a large pharmaceutical company. I have put together a team of real stars. One of my team members (I’ll call him Bob) is a young man I brought with me from my old company. He is a fast learner and a hard worker, and we…