Management Advice Clinic

Advice Clinic

Have you got a problem at work that that you would like help with? Share your workplace dilemmas with us and our panel of experts - and other Management-Issues visitors - will help you with your challenges.
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The games people play

Promoted into a new role, Mary has come up against a subordinate who has wasted no time in trying to make her look as bad as possible. The trouble is, she also sees to be a favourite of Mary's boss. So what can she do? Charles Helliwell has some forthright suggestions.

A cultural conundrum

Robert moved from the UK to a management job in China a year ago. While things went well at first, one of his team has recently been openly challenging his working-style and being dismissive of his decisions. What should he do?

A bad beginning

Carla has just started a senior government job to find herself with a deputy who was passed over for the same job. He is hurt, angry and causing trouble. Is there anything she can do salvage the situation? Max McKeown thinks there is.

Teaching an old dog new tricks

Mary has been promoted to head up her company's career development function. The trouble is, her VP doesn't see the need for such a function in the first place and doesn't see her move as a promotion at all. What can she do to get him on side?

Surviving a bullying boss

Linda's experience with an aggressive, abrasive boss epitomizes the distress and confusion that bullying causes in the workplace. The Boss Whisperer, Laura Crawshaw, has some invaluable advice to help Linda deal with her predicament.

My ex-boss won't stop sandbagging me

Eric's ex-boss seems to be hell-bent on destroying his reputation and needs some help to change the perception others have of him. Dr Rob Yeung suggests a strategy which can help him.

Bigmouth strikes again

Mary has recently moved into a management position where she is plagued by a colleague who bad-mouthed the previous person in her position and now she is saying the same things about her. Charles Helliwell has some advice.

I need some commitment in return

Brian is starting a new senior management role that involves relocating his family. But in light of the huge commitment he's making to the company, how can he ensure some commitment from them in return?

How do I deal with my lazy boss?

Diane's unit is plagued with poor morale and disorganization – a large part of which is due to her lazy boss. Dr Rob Yeung has some suggestions to help her deal with him without upsetting the applecart.

How do I get my team back?

Shayla is a young manager with a big problem. Key members of her team have turned against her and her authority – and effectiveness – is rapidly being undermined. Charles Helliwell has some ideas to get things back on track.

Founders are sabotaging the company

The three founders of Allan's company are technically brilliant but just aren't interested in management. Staff turnover is high and the problems are mounting. Charles Helliwell has some ideas how they might be persuaded to change.

How do I handle this behavior?

After an incident with a member of her staff, Katy is being given the cold-shoulder by her team as well as staff from other departments. Penny de Valk, CEO of the Institute of Leadership & Management, has some tips on how to handle a tricky situation.

How do I deal with malicious gossip?

Gossip is ruining Aimee's life and her managers are unwilling to address the issue. Things have got so bad that she's thinking of leaving. But is there anything else she can do? Dr Rob Yeung has some ideas.

Breaking down the wall of silence

Paula's boss simply refuses to deal with any problems or issues that arise in the office. What can she do to break down the wall of silence and start some honest communication?

Dealing with a bad-mouthing employee

How can a manager deal with a member of his team who was overheard telling a job candidate that he is hard to work with? Penny de Valk has some advice.

Rid me of this poisonous parasite

Jane's working life is plagued by a poisonous co-worker who has made her life a misery. But rather than let it beat her, Charles Helliwell has a plan to help Jane immunize herself against this pest and get rid of her.

Covering my back while I'm away on maternity leave

Ella has worked hard to advance her career. But with maternity leave looming, she is worried that her office rival is keen to expand his empire to include both her job and her team.

How do I manage a friend?

Sally has been promoted and now finds herself having problems managing someone who was a friend long before the promotion. Charles Helliwell has some advice to help her through this tricky dilemma.
Our Panel of experts
Cali Williams Yost
Cali Williams Yost is president and founder of Work+Life Fit, Inc, a company dedicated to empowering individuals to strategically manage the way work fits into their lives.
Charles Helliwell
For the past 15 years, Charles Helliwell has been enjoying a lifestyle and earning an income as a behavioural and relationship mentor who specialises in the personal and professional development of people in business.
Penny de Valk
Penny de Valk is the Chief Executive of the UK-based Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), the largest qualification-awarding and professional membership body in Europe for managers.
Andy Parsley
Andy Parsley helps organisations positively engage with two key audiences: their employees and their customers – both existing and potential. A marketing communications expert, he is the founder of Green Lion Insights and Solutions – an employee engagement consultancy and a regular writer and speaker on employment issues.
Dawna Jones
Dawna Jones coaches those who want to coach themselves, develops programs for employees to regain their capacity to self and collectively lead, consults on the organizational cultural adjustments and connects employees with their inherent, tacit knowledge with application to real work challenges.
Laura Crawshaw
Laura Crawshaw researches and coaches abrasive leaders, otherwise known as "bully bosses". She is known as "The Boss Whisperer™" for her ability to help these individuals develop less destructive management styles.
Lesley Everett
Lesley Everett is a personal branding specialist and author of "Walking TALL – key steps to total image impact". An executive impact coach, she helps individuals to increase their gravitas in the workplace with a clear and congruent personal brand.
Max McKeown
Max McKeown works as a strategic adviser for four of the five most admired companies in the world. Europe's unorthodox answer to Tom Peters, he is also a a well-known speaker on subjects including innovation and competitive advantage.
Chris Conti
Chris Conti is a Partner with executive search firm, CTPartners. He is a founding member of the firm's Technology, Media and Telecommunications Practice and also works extensively with private equity clients in San Francisco and New York.
Myra White
Myra White teaches managing workplace performance and organizational behavior at Harvard University and is a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. She is the author of "Follow the Yellow Brick Road: A Harvard Psychologist's Guide to Becoming a Superstar", a book based on her research into how over 60 well-known people became superstars.
Rob Yeung
Dr Rob Yeung is a Director at leadership consulting firm Talentspace and the author of over a dozen books including 'The Rules of Office Politics' and 'The Rules of Entrepreneurship'.