Loose Lips Sink Ships

 

I am reknown for speaking my mind and being frank. I totally pride myself in maintaining a disposition that is honest.  However I have realised that Loose lips sink ships.  This is a war time warning that was given to soldiers to highlight that if you talk too much, it could cost lives.  This week I really felt the true meaning of this statement, and that what you say can have unwanted repercussions.  

I have a colleague that is an extremely challenging person to work with.  In saying that, I was the only one that he spoke to, I was the only one that he went to lunch with.  Nevertheless, I felt that would only remain that way if we didn't have to work on a Project together.  I am not the only person that deems interacting with him to be an arduous chore.  In fact, the entire team finds his approach to be cantankerous and unfortunately no one in the team wants to work with him.

As year end reviews approached, my Manager asked me my aspirations. I expressed the type of Projects that I would like to work on as well as the preference that I was not assigned any Projects that would involve too much interaction with Mr Challenging. Suffice to say since then, Mr Challenging no longer speaks to me (the betrayal of my manager does not even warrant me being upset about as if I had not said anything he or his manager would not have revealed my concerns to Mr Challenging as was clearly the case).

On Friday afternoon, my Manager, bouncing with enthusiasm, asked me not to leave before he spoke me.  I knew it was coming as I am a strong believer in what you resists persists.  To cut a long story short, he said that not only would I be working with Mr Challenging on my next Project, but the Programme would last for well over a year - much to my chagrin!!

He then had the audacity to ask me if I was happy.  I said 'NO!'  - Being the honest person that I am.  In saying that, I omitted to say why, as the notion that 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' came to mind.  Suffice to say, I was annoyed.  I felt disappointed that my Manager in asking me what I wanted a few weeks earlier, had deliberately gone against my wishes by committing me to a sentence of over a year.

However you know what? I am not one to suffer fools gladly (foolishness really irritates me).  I certainly do not buy into the victim mentality.  Therefore I have decided to accept the challenge of working with Mr Challenging with gusto!  Doing anything less would result in an epic failure.  Failure to demonstrate professionalism, failure to prove to myself that I can overcome any challenge, and failure to be the best that I can be. 

God works in mysterious ways and I know that this is an opportunity.  I have yet to figure out what the opportunity is, nevertheless I will smile the biggest smile with this person, I will cooperate, and see the good side of him for there must be one.

What I have come to realise is that without a doubt, honesty is the best policy, in saying that, one must apply it with deep thought, and consideration of the fallout, as loose lips really do sink ships.

Blessings!