Skip to main content

Do you agree with this quote?

George Washington. (1732-1799), the father of the United States and its first commander in chief, once said:

"Be courteous with all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence."

I agree wholeheartedly with Washington, particularly when it comes to the workplace.

Yes, we should be polite to and respectful toward all those with whom we cross paths.

What we should not do, however, is give away our trust too easily. Never confide in someone until he or she has earned your trust.

Many of us have trusted people we thought we could rely upon, only to get severely burned. It has made us think twice about doing everything from giving a potential partner our heart to discussing personal details about our lives with coworkers.

Everyone we meet should be vetted. Unfortunately, many of us let our emotions guide us in our daily interactions with people. We form positive impressions of people without really knowing them that well. This is a disaster for recipe, as once people detect the vulnerability, they aim to exploit it.

Here's a good rule of thumb: Don't disclose anything personal with anyone at work -- ever. You can be cordial without spilling your guts to people. Someone who pledges to keep a secret today might just stab you on the back tomorrow if beneficial to the individual in some way.

As for relationships, if you already catch someone bending the truth early on, it's a harbinger of bad things to come. Never place your trust in anyone who takes advantage of your good nature.

Be careful out there. If people really want your trust, they should have to work for it.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Do you have Isolophilia? Find out...

You're probably asking yourself, "What in the world does Isolophilia mean?" It sounds like it would be something negative, doesn't it?  After all, words that end in "philia" (e.g., pedophilia) tend to involve things we want nothing to do with. But Isolophilia isn't something all people deplore. In fact, introverts like me welcome it. Put simply, Isolophilia is defined as having a strong affinity for solitude. It describes a person who relishes being alone. While extroverts can only take so much solitude, we introverts find that it rejuvenates us. In order to recharge our batteries, we need to retreat to a quiet environment where we we're left alone to rest and/or gather our thoughts. Extroverts, on the other hand, become bored and drained when they're alone for a lengthy period of time. Social interaction is the fuel that drives them. So while an extrovert would probably do anything to avoid feelings of Isolophilia in most cases, an...

No response from someone IS a response

Make no mistake about it: When you don't get a response from someone -- whether they fail to answer your texts or return your phone calls -- it is  still a response, and a powerful one at that. When a person fails to respond, it's a direct reflection of their interest -- or lack thereof -- in the relationship. Few things are more aggravating than having to hound a partner, friend, or relative for some sort of reply after we've reached out to them. Yes, we get busy from time to time, but that doesn't give anyone the right to leave the other person hanging. A terse text with something like "Been busy, will reach out soon" doesn't say much, but at least it shows some effort to bring the other person up to speed on why they've fallen off the radar. Failing to provide a response for weeks -- if not months -- communicates that you are just not a priority, and that you'll have to wait your turn to get this individual's attention. This is n...

Women vs. Men: Who likes to backstab more?

Whether it's on TV or in the workplace, the general consensus seems to be that women gossip, backstab, and stir up more conflict than men do. But, as with every other topic, I thought it only fair to put this so-called stereotype under the microscope. If you watch reality shows like Celebrity Apprentice, you'll notice it's the women who spend far more time bickering. While the men do at times become embroiled in tit for tat, it's the women who are portrayed as meaner and more hostile. In the workplace, I have noticed that women seem to gossip far more than their male counterparts. I haven't really seen any cases where a person blatantly backstabs the other, but I have caught both men and women in little white lies. If it is true that women are generally more into backstabbing and gossiping than men, why is this the case? I believe that it isn't fair to make a blanket statement like "all women play these games while all men keep to themselves and pre...