Overall, I find myself agreeing with most of what the expert Wendi Lazar says. While the current situation is rather distressing for Elizabeth, I think she shouldn’t make a decision as big as leaving a position that she loves in the heat of the moment. Like the Lazar states, Elizabeth may find herself being able to move on once some time has passed. If she later finds that she really can’t move on while working in the same company as Brad, she can still choose to leave then, with potentially even more experience and credentials under her belt. However, the reverse—leaving now, trying to return to the position after realizing she could’ve moved on regardless—is not so easily accomplished. I further agree with Lazar’s contingency plans for Elizabeth, that even if she were to leave, she needs time to make sure that she maxes out her leverage in negotiating a mutual leverage. I can also think that the other expert, Karen Firestone, makes some good points about pursuing other opportunities, especially if the environment truly proves to be unbearably toxic, but I think the sentiment that she needs to get out ASAP and that her reputation is declining each minute she stays in the company may be a bit unnecessarily urgent. There is also the workplace culture to consider—while definitely not ideal, there’s no guarantee it would better at the next company that Elizabeth goes to.
I think if I was the manager, I would talk with Elizabeth about what’s done has been done and try to figure out a way to position her and her work in the company in a way that maintains and improves her performance as much as possible. This may mean having someone else deal with Brad and mentor Claudia for the time being and recommending that she seek mental health help if needed to help her address the emotional side of the situation. If that separation doesn’t work, I would then encourage her to try relocating to London. If I had the authority, I would also discuss with Brad separately the expectation of maintaining boundaries, and to keep his relationship with Claudia professional in office.
