Marian tells you that if you have any resistance setting up your meetings, you should share that you are doing this at her request. She asks that you meet with her again to give a verbal update as soon as you have news to report. In that second meeting, you share more details from e-mail writers, that every supervisor reported their employee was credible, and that the accused was shocked, outraged, and refused to cooperate once he understood the purpose of the meeting. Based upon this data gathering, what do you report to the CEO?

You answer your phone, and it is Nancy, the CEO’s executive assistant. She wants to know whether you could come talk with the CEO in 15 minutes. When you reply you will be right up, Nancy hesitates and then adds that she wants you to keep who you are meeting with to yourself. You are intrigued but assure Nancy you will comply with her request. When you get to the CEO’s office, Marian is not there, but Nancy asks you to take a seat in her office, saying Marian will be right back. Sure enough, Marian soon arrives and asks whether she may speak freely and in confidence. You respond,... Show more

You answer your phone, and it is Nancy, the CEO’s executive assistant. She wants to know whether you could come talk with the CEO in 15 minutes. When you reply you will be right up, Nancy hesitates and then adds that she wants you to keep who you are meeting with to yourself. You are intrigued but assure Nancy you will comply with her request.

When you get to the CEO’s office, Marian is not there, but Nancy asks you to take a seat in her office, saying Marian will be right back. Sure enough, Marian soon arrives and asks whether she may speak freely and in confidence. You respond, “Absolutely.” Marian goes on to say she wants your advice as she thinks she needs to fire one of her C-suite members, so of course she needs to do it right. You are surprised that you’ve been asked for this help and not your vice president of human resources, Hank, but you keep listening. The CEO has received e-mails from three different employees claiming different degrees of sexual harassment, all naming the same member of the C-suite. These allegations of behavior are different from what Marian has experienced with this executive.

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