Ask “Z”

Q. In an exit interview, an outgoing employee told me, “Morale is terrible. You should hear how your crew bashes you and the organization when we get together for beers after work.” I don’t want people criticizing me—or my company. What should I do?

Q: “It seems that many times when I issue directives to managers, the messages they relay to their own subordinates are distorted versions—and frankly, make me look bad when they play the ‘We’re only following orders from the top’ card. How do I make sure what I say isn’t corrupted on its way through channels?”

Q. I just attended a webinar on leadership. It turns out that I report to a guy who embodies many of the worst traits of a leader. I learned that bad leaders hog credit, don’t listen and have a thin skin—just like my boss. When he asks what I learned in the webinar, how should I respond?

Q: One of our managers is relentless about crafting his job title, changing it every year. We put up with it, but at some point he may push too far. How important do you think job titles really are?