"A couple of years ago, we had hired a new junior advisor on to our team, and I was tasked with being his mentor. Having mentored several other thriving Junior Advisors prior to him starting, I was excited about the opportunity. Within the first week of him being on the job, I overheard a colleague of mine talking very openly about his disdain for hiring this new advisor and witnessing him personally criticizing him in a face-to-face encounter. Immediately, I spoke to my colleague in a private office about my concern over his actions and words towards the new advisor. Having been a part of the interview process and his early mentorship, I knew he had the skills to succeed, and I reiterated that to my colleague. After agreeing to back off on any private criticizing of the new advisor and a promise to help mentor him, I learned that direct conversations are the best way to handle workplace conflicts."