I’ve just acquired a new secretary, Ms. Fox. She wears cat’s-eye glasses that make her look kind of bookish, and she is always well dressed.

Ms. Fox is the consummate professional, going about her duties with purposeful stride and little chitchat. When she’s on the phone, she gets right to the point; she arrives at meetings just as they begin and leaves the minute they conclude. Once would easily assume Ms. Fox to be the type of career woman who would never mix business with pleasure. She is always been polite yet noncommittal, with a manner that says, “I don’t dislike working with you, but we are not friends.”

One day, Ms. Fox came into my office with some papers, and I complimented her on her new outfit. “Oh, this is from Victoria’s Secret. I love their... Read More