Everybody Needs a Confidant....just not at work.

Work friends are the best! Some days they are the only reason for showing up to work everyday. You spend most of your waking hours at work, so to be in an environment where you have a couple people who get it all. You can make faces about something said in a meeting. Watch the politics that go on around getting on a project or face time with a high profile client. Aside from work, you can talk about your lives - relationships, family, finances, grief, aspirations and failures; but can you really? Should you really is the bigger question?

There is a careful line in the workplace. It's not always easy to maneuver. You need to be close enough so you are liked enough to be placed on the project and included in decision making meetings. However, don't be naive everyone around you is competing for the same thing you are to be promoted and move up. Be careful what you share, it could be the side tidbit a co-worker needs to get you moved from a project and move themselves into your spot.

It's possible knowing you're going through a break-up or some family issue is enough to make those watching to think you can't handle the assignment. When the truth is, none of that is why your numbers were off. Hmm, something to think about.

So what should you do if you have already shared so much? Nothing. When the question comes towards you "So how is THAT thing going?" say it's going fine then steer the conversation to the weather grocery shopping or a movie that's out. Better yet, ask them how their THING is doing.

I truly enjoy my work friends. Sometimes I don't feel like going, but wondering how a person spent the weekend pushes me to get dressed and show up. However, I'm careful to what I share and especially with whom. Keep your friends close and your competition wondering.

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