That year, I switched jobs to a larger chain pharmacy. My outstanding performance earned the store manager's admiration. Yet, what unsettled me was the subtle shift in attitude from several female colleagues I'd once gotten along with—they became distant and aloof. Without harmonious relationships, work naturally became difficult. I tried to mend these interpersonal rifts, but with little success. Eventually, I largely gave up trying.
However, the good times didn't last. The manager who had always relied heavily on me was transferred back to headquarters, and a new manager was "parachuted in" from headquarters. New broom sweeps clean—this manager immediately introduced a series of new rules and measures upon arrival, but sales didn't rise; they fell.With sales stagnant, staff wages and bonuses inevitably suffered. One afternoon, while chatting idly with colleagues, complaints inevitably surfaced. I casually remarked, "The new manager seems like he's never actually worked in a store." I forgot about it immediately, but days later, I received word that someone had reported me for criticizing the new manager behind his back. After that, whenever I encountered him, I sensed his gaze had lost its former warmth.
After much deliberation, I decided to take the initiative and clear up the rumor myself.I went to the manager's office and said, "Manager, I heard rumors that I said you don't understand sales. I think there might be a misunderstanding." The new manager looked surprised at first, then confused—it seemed the rumor hadn't reached him yet. After I explained everything, he calmly told me he wouldn't believe rumors easily and advised me to go back to work with peace of mind.
After that, everything calmed down. But this experience taught me that when facing rumors, it's not necessarily the listeners who should be wise—it's the victims of the rumors. Only by becoming wiser and more resourceful in the face of rumors, and taking decisive action to stop their spread, can one avoid being harmed.