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1. Handling a Manipulative Coworker ("Boundary Collapse")
A reader is dealing with a department head who is emotionally coercing them, crossing personal boundaries, and making subtle threats (saying "he couldn't protect me" if the reader worked with another leader).
- The Advice: The columnist validates that this is a severe boundary violation and likely constitutes a hostile work environment or sexual harassment. They advise consulting an employment lawyer, strictly limiting communication to work-related topics in writing, and abandoning the idea of a "healthy repair" with someone who is actively manipulating them. The columnist emphasizes that the reader should stop worrying about "rocking the boat."
2. Pushing Back on Unprofessional Recruiters ("Recruitment Hell")
A candidate invested four days of unpaid work into a presentation for a senior role, only to be ghosted by an unprofessional recruiter for a month.
- The Advice: Rather than sending a passive "just checking in" email or a scorched-earth condemnation, the columnist suggests sending a direct, diplomatic email. The candidate should professionally point out the disparity between the significant effort they invested and the recruiter's lack of communication, establishing their self-worth without burning a bridge in a small industry.
3. Navigating Office Bathroom Odors ("The Stench")
A reader's desk is near a private office bathroom, and a colleague's use of it is causing abhorrent smells.
- The Advice: To avoid a direct, awkward confrontation, the columnist suggests creating a "universal" office rule. The reader should propose to the whole team that everyone use the public restrooms down the hall for "No. 2" (diplomatically blaming it on a sensitive nose or patient complaints) and stock the private bathroom with high-quality, battle-tested odor eliminators.