Reprinted from: LeanIn.org
By: Stephanie Taylor Christensen
(This is the ninth segment in a ten part series from LeanIn.org)
Lesson #9: YOU’RE FRIENDS (OR ENEMIES!) WITH THE WRONG CO-WORKERS
You spend a lot of hours at the office, and it can be more fun when you’re among friends—but if too many conversations center on inappropriate office gossip, you risk calling your judgment into question.
It’s not always easy to spot the “good eggs” from those who are insincere or who have a bad reputation that could tarnish yours. And if you’ve made professional enemies, their impressions could come back to haunt you later in your career.
The Silver Lining Lesson: Letting your guard down too much in the workplace presents a challenge—but also a great opportunity to redefine who you want to be professionally moving forward.
So seek out positive role models at work—and begin respectfully limiting the amount of time you spend with the “wrong crowd.”
As for people whom you’ve rubbed the wrong way, “talk to them and let them know that you want a fresh start,” urges Palmer. “It will take some time to rebuild the relationship, but it’s better to do that than to have to expect a knife in your back.”
