One of my upper manager buddies
is battling Human Resources
because a co-worker complained
that he called her ‘hon’.
This buddy didn’t know
this bothered her.
He would have stopped
if she had addressed it.
(I know because he stopped
when I, as a friend, addressed it.)
Their relationship would have changed
but it would have survived.
This friend would likely have
respected her even more
for standing up
for what she wanted.
(This happened with us.)
Instead of talking to him directly,
however,
she went to Human Resources.
This destroyed not only
her relationship with the manager
but it will likely destroy
her relationship with everyone else.
Everyone now knows
that if she has an issue with anything,
she’ll involve Human Resources
(and, by doing that,
the rest of the company).
Once you involve others
in an issue or disagreement
(without first talking to that person),
you’re destroying relationships
and trust.
Forever.
Think before you do this.