I Accidentally Spread Gossip in the Office

published 1 August 2008

Dear Cubicle Coach:

I recently let a colleague's secret slip to the office gossip. Any way to undo the damage?

Dear Loose Lips:

Did this happen after a third mojito, or did you do it intentionally as some kind of manipulative power play? Sure, there's nothing more delicious than knowing something your peers don't, and sharing is sometimes irresistible. But don't you feel sick to your stomach about 10 minutes later? CC believes that when someone tells you something and you agree to keep it secret, you keep it secret. Not just for Spider-Man does great power come with great responsibility. Putting morality aside for a second (no problem for you), realize that if you're discreet, people will tell you many more secrets, and you will gain even more info and thus power. In this case, I'll assume it was the mojitos talking. You can ask your coworker not to repeat the salacious gossip you shared (yeah, right), but be prepared to beg for forgiveness when the source of the leak gets traced back to you. You may have burned a bridge there, sweetheart.