This is another it-happened-to-me post.So the emotions are strictly personal.
The Story:
Last Friday I was supposed to submit by CV to be reviewed for a business school admission.So after I mailed the resume I made a phone call to the school to check on couple of information points I needed.Not wanting to talk about it from my seat,I made the call from the rest room.The entire conversation lasted for less than three minutes,including the "hello is this so-n-so,I am so-n-so" and "thanks a lot for the support".I was not alone in the restroom,there was another lady.
In the evening at a meeting with CEO,the entire office was talking about my business school admission.I wasn't sure about the discussion as it was in a language I couldn't make head or tail of.Later one of my male colleagues comes an tells me,"You should be careful,when you make phone calls in restrooms."
I was dumbfounded.The lady had talked.She holds a senior position in the organization.What did she gain?
We have never interacted on any levels for her to go talk about me.I'm not even sure whether she knows my name as well.I don't know hers.And from Friday I couldn't care less.
So the important question is where do we draw the line?I have a policy of non interference.As long as I don't dig into your life,stay away from mine.Should we actually tell the entire office what we "overheard"?Isn't there some etiquette about overheard conversations?
I was thoroughly annoyed the entire evening.Now I understand about not mixing personal and professional life.Kind of ruined my Friday evening.Sigh.
The Story:
Last Friday I was supposed to submit by CV to be reviewed for a business school admission.So after I mailed the resume I made a phone call to the school to check on couple of information points I needed.Not wanting to talk about it from my seat,I made the call from the rest room.The entire conversation lasted for less than three minutes,including the "hello is this so-n-so,I am so-n-so" and "thanks a lot for the support".I was not alone in the restroom,there was another lady.
In the evening at a meeting with CEO,the entire office was talking about my business school admission.I wasn't sure about the discussion as it was in a language I couldn't make head or tail of.Later one of my male colleagues comes an tells me,"You should be careful,when you make phone calls in restrooms."
I was dumbfounded.The lady had talked.She holds a senior position in the organization.What did she gain?
We have never interacted on any levels for her to go talk about me.I'm not even sure whether she knows my name as well.I don't know hers.And from Friday I couldn't care less.
So the important question is where do we draw the line?I have a policy of non interference.As long as I don't dig into your life,stay away from mine.Should we actually tell the entire office what we "overheard"?Isn't there some etiquette about overheard conversations?
I was thoroughly annoyed the entire evening.Now I understand about not mixing personal and professional life.Kind of ruined my Friday evening.Sigh.
There is no etiquette in gossip and for gossipers the subject is immaterial, only the fodder. Take heart from the fact that no one cares a fig leaf about you or your admission, for as soon as another subject crops up, this would be discarded. Just thank your stars it wasn't about a job.Think of the damage that would have caused.
ReplyDeleteYou are right,it is only about fodder.If it was a job offer,I would never have thought of making that call within 10 metres of my office building...
ReplyDeleteMeans that Friday evening taught you something important. Nice :)
ReplyDeleteRight.Why do I have to learn it the hard way?And for people who haven't here's my story.
ReplyDelete:) these gossipers need to get a life!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAaah Gossipers and thr illogical gains! Especially the girl crowd! Human form of ALL INDIA RADIO. Bhootnies of Indian soaps!!
ReplyDeleteYou be fine and the new never stays for long. Atleast till they find the next pray :P
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@magic eye : I swear.There is a limit.
ReplyDelete@Red Handed:I had almost forgotten about the Bhootnies of Indian soaps.That is fodder for another post.
You should have confronted that lady. What she did was thoroughly unprofessional.
ReplyDeleteI thought,why create a scene?I believe in Divine Retribution (wink).I guess I was too startled to react.
ReplyDeleteThere is no part of this world which is decent enough to be free of gossips. This is something which keeps people going when there isn't anything better interesting. Hidden eyes and hidden ears everywhere ;)
ReplyDeleteeavesdropping syndrome can be fatal if you are working for an organisation, anyways it was for admission after al, you are a customer, so don t worry about it. be bindass, but when it comes to profession, be sure that you don t give out your feelings openly or even in the loo Lolz
ReplyDeleteThis incident only illustrates that one can never be too careful about anything.
ReplyDeletego and slap her tomorrow
ReplyDelete& let the whole floor know it again
seriously such ppl are uselessly waste
@DeGuide : Office politics a.k.a etiquette.Can somebody teach me all this?Sigh.It doesn't pay much to be a straight forward person.
ReplyDelete@Sudha : You are correct.Gave me an opportunity to learn from the mistake.
@Nandita :Attagirl!I love your spirit.I thought about it too.Corporate jungle unfortunately is not in for violent stands.
You perhaps unconsciously provided the recipe of gossip to a gossip monger-forget it and be careful next time.Cheers!
ReplyDeleteIt was a lesson.No mistakes next time.
ReplyDeleteam guessing the lady needed fodder for office gossip and you seemed to be crop up on the radar at that moment.
ReplyDeleteps: i used to find the printer room (there were a few thankfully) more convenient than the restroom for such conversations.
I kinda figured that out later.I now I use lunch time to make personal calls now.Office is empty and I have lunch in the pantry.
ReplyDelete