Naked bosses and other gym hazards In his 2012 "quit "n" tell" book, Why I Left Goldman Sachs , Greg Smith detailed some of things he had seen in the company gym, such as the "impressive weight" Hank Paulson put on the incline chest-press machine. Most notable, though, was his description of Lloyd Blankfein "walking around the changing room au naturel to dry off from his shower." Charitably, Mr Smith went on to add that this kind of air-drying was "not uncommon among a generation slightly older than mine." Clearly, these are words of a man who had burnt his bridges. But they do raise some interesting questions. How should you react to colleagues in the gym? Is it good form to thrash your boss at squash? And what do you say to a naked boss? For starters, it is worth remembering that a gym is a public space. Moreover, there is a kind of general etiquette with rules that range from not letting eyes linger on others to wiping sweat off machines. However, says Nic Hammarling, head of diversity at business psychologists Pearn Kandola, "it is naive to think that the world of work and the gym are entirely separate." On a positive note, Ms Hammarling says that going to the gym can help your career prospects as it breaks down traditional boundaries and builds commonality and trust: "It can be a good place to meet more senior people and those from other parts of the organisation and do some informal networking." Etiquette consultant Jodi RR Smith adds that the gym may even help you to connect with those with whom you normally struggle to form bonds. Personal trainer Kathryn Freeland notes there may be benefits for your workout too: "If you're the kind of person who tends to slack off and play with your smartphone, seeing your boss in the gym could make you work out harder." On the competitive side of things, you should avoid losing on purpose to suck up to a boss. "One of the worst ways to build relationships is underplay your strengths as they'll realise and it damages trust," says Ms Hammarling. However, you also need to be aware of the kind of person your boss is - and, if they are a poor sport, you might avoid overt competition with them. For many gym-goers, though, the elephant in the changing room is managerial nudity. Ms Smith says that while saying hello is rarely a problem, "the bigger question is what to do if the naked boss starts a full-blown conversation." If you are uncomfortable here, she advises you could point out they're discussing business publicly: "Make it about the confidentiality, not the nakedness. Or, if the changing room is empty, say: "Let me grab my towel."" You should, of course, avoid sharing these encounters with colleagues, amusing though they may be. "What happens at the gym stays at the gym," says Ms Smith.