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Your Colleagues At Work Are Not Your Friends
This misconception is the #1 reason people are disrespected at work.
Look, I’m not a career coach.
I’m just a tired founder who’s had too many awkward water-cooler chats and borderline therapy sessions with people I’m supposed to “manage.”
We spend eight (or more) hours a day alongside coworkers. We laugh at the same inside jokes. We share “Crap, did you see that email?” moments. It’s tempting to think, “Wow, these people are my new besties.”
Spoiler alert: They’re not.
And you know what? That’s totally fine. In fact, it might even save your sanity.
First, let’s get real
Every workplace is a pressure cooker. You’ve got deadlines, performance reviews, clashing personalities, and an endless swirl of Slack messages.
Friendships in this pot can get messy. I’ve seen it:
You get close to a colleague, share a bit too much about your personal life, and suddenly, your entire department knows about your borderline-hoarder cat situation.
It’s not about being paranoid. It’s about protecting yourself.