Speak with Moderation, Gain Workplace Friends
Lulu and her colleague Xiao Pei worked in the same department and joined the company around the same time. Unexpectedly, when promotions came up, Xiao Pei informed their supervisor about some of Lulu's past work mistakes, effectively blocking her path to advancement.
Lulu and Xiaopei had once been inseparable. They shared work lunches, sometimes grabbed drinks after hours, and went shopping together. Lulu confided in her like any close friend, pouring out her innermost thoughts. Back then, she never realized she was planting a landmine—an invisible danger creeping closer.
Last month, the department head approached Lulu with a promotion opportunity, asking her to submit a departmental work proposal immediately. Lulu promptly shared the good news with Xiaopei, who congratulated her and offered advice. But when Lulu presented her carefully prepared proposal, the boss declined it outright. He then informed her that the supervisor position had been decided for Xiaopei.
While delivering this news, the leader also pointed out several mistakes Lulu had made in her past work. He accused her of being unprofessional and dishonest, revealing that she had been complaining about him to her colleagues behind their backs. Lulu instantly realized what was happening. The leader had called out mistakes and complaints she had never shared with anyone except Xiao Pei.
Lulu felt as if struck by lightning. The pain of betrayal and humiliation tormented her relentlessly. Unable to let go of this incident, she vowed never again to trust any workplace relationships. She truly understood: the workplace is a battlefield. Everyone fights over the same piece of pie. If you eat, others go hungry.Hunger could drive people to do anything. It seemed that to find a confidante with whom she could share everything, she would have to look far away from the workplace.
Now, Lulu and Xiaopei had gone from being close friends to strangers.Since then, Lulu has never dined with colleagues again and deliberately keeps her distance from coworkers. In her mind, the workplace is dangerous—one must never befriend colleagues there. Now, like Xiang Linshao, she tells old friends and classmates: "I won't befriend coworkers anymore. Even if someone seems like kindred spirits, I won't do it."