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Tattletale

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I work with a 40 year old lady who makes herself look good by making everyone else look bad. She does this not by spreading rumors that may, or may not be true, but by informing the bosses of any wrongdoings. Lets say you had done nothing wrong, done everything the way it was supposed to be done, said nothing that could be held against you as long as you had been a professional but the one time you find yourself in the wrong everyone is made aware of it. Suddenly your reputation is tainted because of the truth of the tattletales statement. Gossip, by nature doesn't have to be true, so much of the time it is ignored as false. A tattletale is so much more destructive than one who gossips because the truth can't be ignored. Let me rephrase. You can ignore the truth but you will pay for it somewhere along the way. Nobody wants to pay for ignoring the truth so maybe they will fire you for your wrong, or warn you. Either way, they will carefully watch you, scrutinizing.

If a tattletale rats you out you could simply lie, saying that it wasn't true. This, I promise, will eventually land you in an even bigger heap of manure. We all know about how our mistakes can build up, one leading to another until we find ourselves hovering at the precipice of an abyss so deep you may never again gain your footing once you fall. Another option is to admit your mistake and apologize, promising not to repeat the offense. This may be your best option, though you will still be tainted with the truth of your mistakes.
The most annoying thing about the tattletale is that they will temporarily benefit by being the tattletale. Maybe the boss will eventually realize that they are scum and their confidence in you will return. But for the time being the boss will trust the tattletale, because in a twisted way, they have the bosses back. The tattletale is the ally and you are the enemy.
The troubling thing is that nobody is the perfect employee. Everyone makes mistakes. When you are called out on every single thing you've done wrong, and you know it's true, it can be frustrating.It can be especially frustrating if you are actually the better employee than the tattletale.
The gossip can also be annoying, but this can usually be shrugged off as a falsehood. If you don't discuss the things you don't want known much of the problem of gossip will be overcome. A tattletale can't be overcome, only waited out.

Learn more about this author, Ian Cross.
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