On the campaign couch ... with JB. (Close-Up).

Q My house is being renovated following a burst pipe over Christmas. My agency currently has a whole floor empty due to the departure of several senior people. As the chief executive, should I take advantage of the free rent and move my family in while the house is repaired, or would it be wise not to live "above the shop"?

Two matters of interest here. You use the word "my" with reference to both your house and your agency. However heavily mortgaged, the house is technically yours; but I bet the agency isn't. You may have a share of the action, but I bet you're a paid employee like everyone else and I strongly advise you to behave like one if you want to stay that way.

Second: the extent of your self-absorption is wondrous. This being 2002, I feel safe in assuming that the departure of those senior executives was not of their choice. Yet you hesitate to move your family into the space they left empty not because it might appear (to use as mild a word as I can muster) insensitive; but because, it seems, you fear that living above the shop might impose further unwelcome demands upon you. Oh wow.

Chief executives who behave like owners have an even shorter shelf-life than owners who behave like owners. Ralph Nader once said: "I have a theory about power. It can be exercised responsibly only so long as it remains insecure." Most of your people will be feeling insecure at the moment. It's high time you joined them.

As for that space: use it to provide some imaginative diversion for your beleaguered staff. If you can't think of an idea yourself, ask around. By the time you need to reclaim the space for people purposes, you'll know the worst is over.

Q I'm the managing director at an agency that has just hired someone from outside to be its new chief executive. Is this a subtle way of getting me to leave -- or should I stay and prove them wrong?

Only a person of limited sensibility could describe this stratagem as subtle. It's just about as subtle as a firing-squad.