By Brian McNaught, Special to CNN

June 29, 2011 6:12 a.m. EDT

"The CFO of a major bank pulled me aside awhile ago to ask my advice on how she should talk to a favorite, closeted, gay senior manager about his homosexuality. The secret he kept made it difficult for her to speak with him comfortably about their outside lives on things such as weekend and holiday plans.

I suggested that she sit with him privately, and say, with confidence and warmth, "You know, Tom, we've been friends for some time, and I've shared a good deal about myself and my family with you, but I feel I know very little about you. Is there anything that I'm doing that makes it difficult for you to talk with me?" She happily reported to me on my return visit that all went very well. He came out to her with relief and gratitude, but chose not to come out further to his peers..." READ THE FULL ARTICLE