The co-worker or subordinate that is a slacker is a large problem in any entity. These are the people that started early with the "Dog ate my homework" routine and have been at it ever since. We need your input on such problems. Please send us, or leave on the Tip Line (678-201-9575), your anecdotes, success stories, pleas for help, suggestions to solve pleas for help and so forth. We'll keep them anonymous.

So your slacker heard you say something at the holiday party this year that you now regret. Yes, you had too much to drink and were feeling especially generous. The point is, what to do now?

Your best bet is to ignore (not deny) the whole matter. Your slacker is looking for a reaction, one that they can use as a lever against you. Any reaction at all gives them an opening which will only lead to a worse situation. You may think you can explain your way out of this one--you can’t--stone cold silence is your only hope.

And, perhaps you learned your lesson about holiday parties. The advice I give in my book "On Employment" is "arrive late, leave early, and drink water." Nothing good has ever come of a company holiday party—the best you can hope for is a neutral outcome.