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| Author |
Message |
md
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The cowardly rumor-monger
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Jul 29 17:09 UTC 1994 |
You hear that a coworker named Trudy has suddenly been let
go. After asking around, you learn the following:
Another coworker named Warren made up nasty rumor about
the company. The first person Warren told it to was
Trudy. Trudy went to the boss and asked if it was true.
The boss assured her it was not true, and then demanded to
know where she had heard it. Trudy refused to rat on
Warren; and Warren, even though he knew Trudy was in
trouble, didn't come forward. The boss, citing corporate
security, gave Trudy a choice: tell where you heard it and
be held blameless, or else lose your job. Trudy refused,
and so she was fired. Warren still hasn't said anything.
You're the only other person who knows that Warren is the
one who made up the rumor. What do you do?
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| 8 responses total. |
scg
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response 1 of 8:
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Jul 29 19:18 UTC 1994 |
If Trudy didn't want to say anything, I would probablyfigure that it
wasn't my business to intervene, but it would really depend on the
circumstances. What was the rumor? How did it effect security? Was it
just the boss' power trip?
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md
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response 2 of 8:
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Jul 29 19:59 UTC 1994 |
Another lunch table story, greatly modified in this case.
I would definitely stay out of it. I can't imagine
myself talking about it to any of the people involved,
except maybe to pat Trudy on the back and tell her how
bad I felt about the whole thing.
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davel
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response 3 of 8:
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Jul 30 14:08 UTC 1994 |
I wouldn't assume I was the only other one who knew (even if Trudy told me
I was), and if she didn't feel it appropriate to say anything official I
probably wouldn't. Especially given that I only have her side of it.
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aruba
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response 4 of 8:
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Jul 30 19:02 UTC 1994 |
I think I would try to talk Warren into coming clean. If the story didn't
have a happy ending, I might take my frustration out on the company in more
subtle, passive-aggressive ways. :)
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scg
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response 5 of 8:
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Jul 30 21:57 UTC 1994 |
It would depend in part on what sort of rumor it was, and what sort of
company it was. If it were, say, a computer company, and an employee
started spreading completely untrue rumors that the company was using
substandard parts, it would be withing the company's interests to figure
out where the rumor was coming from and put a stop to it. OTOH, if the
company was a school, and the rumor was that an employee was sexually
abusing students, even if you *think* it is only a rumor it still can't be
brushed under the rug. In that case yit should be throughly investigated,
and the parents of the possibly effected students should be informed
immediately.
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flem
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response 6 of 8:
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Aug 4 03:47 UTC 1994 |
One thing I would definitely do is go to Warren and tell him that he's an
@$$hole. Both for starting the rumor in the first place, and for not
helping Trudy out.
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ewhisam
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response 7 of 8:
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Dec 28 00:33 UTC 1995 |
Who am I to question Trudy's allegiance to Warren, maybe she had a reason.
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diznave
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response 8 of 8:
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Nov 9 07:55 UTC 1997 |
Find Trudy, and ask her why she quit _The Facts Of Life_.
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