I work at a small company with a senior director whose communication style feels passive-aggressive. Instead of clearly assigning tasks, he frames requests as questions (e.g., “Would I be able to…”), then later complains to supervisors when the work doesn’t match what he apparently wanted. Employees follow his words as stated, not his implied expectations, and feel criticized or “caught” for doing things wrong. Leadership has not addressed the issue, and many of us feel frustrated and bullied. How can we work with someone like this without becoming constantly frustrated?

The manager in our department is widely regarded as a bully. Her behavior includes frequent outbursts directed at whoever is nearest, followed by long, accusatory emails. This has become a normalized management style, and it’s taking a serious toll—several team members are now on antidepressants due to the ongoing stress. I’m not directly in her line of fire, which gives me some objectivity, but what I see is deeply troubling. Is the only option for staff to leave or medicate just to cope with this environment? What can I do?

I’m starting to see AI-generated writing everywhere, including in emails and messages from colleagues, which feels disingenuous. I understand AI is here to stay, but I’m concerned by how much my coworkers are using it and how it might affect our interactions. I know I can’t control others, and I don’t want to, but I also don’t want my interactions to be mediated by AI, especially without knowing that they are. How can I maintain the integrity of my interactions and my work without dictating what others do?

I am working on my skill set of leading others. This is new to me, so I’m trying to learn how to give effective feedback on their work. I worry that I won’t be helpful, or worse, they’ll get defensive and I will lose future opportunities to give feedback. Any suggestions?

A coworker of mine recently told our manager he’s scared of me. When I learned of this, I was shocked. I had no idea. I assume it’s because I’m a marketing manager and it’s my job to review all his work. He’s a perfectionist, and I’ve noticed he gets defensive when I point out mistakes in his work. So I’ve tried to be less critical and let minor mistakes slide. Now the same thing is happening with another coworker—she has told the manager she’s scared of me. I wish they would just tell me. How can I address this issue, and what can I do if people are ‘scared’ of me because it’s my job to provide feedback?

As a nurse manager, how do I tell a master’s-prepared registered nurse that sleeping at their workstation is unprofessional? In many of my previous management jobs, finding an employee sleeping at their workstation was a fire-able offense. In this environment, the employee appears to see no difference between sleeping in a designated break room and sleeping at their workstation.

I am a consultant and I frequently have clients who try to get more from me than originally agreed upon in a statement of work. This is always difficult to navigate, and I’m not sure how to do so without having problems so I usually just step up and do the work—but at a cost to me. How can I resolve these situations?

Dear Crucial Skills, How do you deal with sensitive employees who become overly emotional when held accountable? Signed,Tiptoeing Dear Tiptoeing, This is such a challenge! It’s the main reason people don’t hold others accountable—because they become emotional and defensive. Two questions I want to address: When I teach or coach leaders, I find that many …

How do you get your kids to behave in restaurants when they won’t listen without resorting to spanking or threats of physical abuse?

As a manager, how can I prepare to have a Crucial Conversation about someone’s performance, especially when that person feels they are doing brilliant work and I think differently?