Lying is a terrible characteristic, but at times, it feels like bending the truth to some degree might help someone out of a dreadful situation.
They say that honesty is always the best policy, but in actual fact, it’s definitely not applicable to all situations. Sometimes a little white lie helps everyone feel better. Here are five times when blurting out the truth might not be the best card to play:
When you get asked to critique someone’s work, honestly.
If you can see that a co-worker’s efforts honestly just need some slight improvements, it’s okay to utter the words. In the event that their work needs serious alterations, don’t say it that way, no matter how true it is. Go ahead and give them feedback, stating that their work is good but needs some improvement. Focus on a few key points and let the rest go, you’ll be doing yourself and your colleague a favor.
When your boss is trying to get your approval.
Our bosses are also just humans, which mean that they can and will have their own insecurities. We’re almost obliged to chuckle when our bosses tell us the same lame jokes time after time, but when they’re trying to ask us for advice or reassurance in the workplace, we need to keep our suggestions for improvement to ourselves. Yes, your boss Steve looks ridiculous with his comb-over, but when he asks you what you think of the way he looks, he’s looking for a confidence boost before an important meeting, which is why your little white lie will go a long way for you and the whole company.
When you’re hunting for a new job.
Nobody at work, not even your office bestie, needs to know that you’re in the market for a new job. Unless of course, you’re okay with causing office drama. The fact of the matter is that things can go south pretty quickly whether it’s in the form of constructive dismissal or being fired because you’re already on your way out in any case. While you still have a job, don’t let other co-workers know you’re job hunting because honestly, you don’t want to get left out of big projects just because you’re looking for an escape route out of your current situation. Just because you’re exploring other options shouldn’t mean it should come with adverse consequences.
When you’re protecting a colleague.
We’ve all faced situations where a manager gets frustrated and then asks a particular employee to throw one or two other co-workers under the bus as well, but no matter how tempting it seems, don’t do it! Even if you know in your heart that Sam messed up, don’t admit it; rather just say you don’t remember the details but that you will try to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Your boss doesn’t need to know about everybody’s business, and you certainly don’t need to be a tattletale.
When being honest will have consequences for you.
Sometimes we instinctively know when our bosses won’t be able to handle the truth, which is exactly when telling a little white lie is okay. Let’s say that your boss has asked you to share your personal opinions, which may or may not involve your political or religious beliefs. You do NOT have to answer truthfully if you know that there will be professional consequences if your boss disagrees with your opinion. As an employee, you have the right to keep your private matters, well, private. If you know that your boss is the type of person that shoots the messenger, make sure you don’t end up being the messenger.