Dear Annie: My supervisor hired a friend for a job when there were others who appeared to be more qualified. Applicants had to take a test and score in the top three. The friend didn’t score high enough, but several very qualified co-workers did. The supervisor is asking people to sign off on his decision to hire his friend. I feel that is such poor leadership.

My opinion is that no one should ever feel bullied to give up a chance at advancement. The others worked hard to score high, and there aren’t many job openings for this position. They do a great job and are training hard to advance in the company, but because they aren’t friends with the supervisor, they are being overlooked for the position. I would bet that the big bosses don’t even know this is happening.

They take pride in making employees feel good about themselves, and this supervisor’s actions make top scorers feel unworthy and embarrassed. They know that if they were to tell, they would still have to work for him and would pay the price. What’s your opinion? — Upset Employee

Dear Upset Employee: Your supervisor is not helping anyone. He is hurting the company as a whole by not having a competent person in the job and by discouraging other employees from even trying. Seeing as the “big bosses” place an emphasis on employee satisfaction, why not talk to them on behalf of your co-workers? You should specifically ask them to make sure that your supervisor does not take this out on you. If he does and there is no recourse for you, consider dusting off your resume and looking for a new position.

Dear Annie: I want to thank you for following through and publishing my letter in which I asked you to ask your readers, “If you had to do it all over again, would you have children?” — a question Ann Landers posed in 1970.

I also want to thank you for publishing the responses from your readers. I am amazed how values have changed in 40 years concerning having children. Thanks again. — Steve

Dear Steve: Thank you for posing the question! It was a fun experiment, and I was fascinated to read the responses.

Editor’s note: Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.