Real-Life Communication -- Solution
Your friend has asked many favors of you. And most of these will
place you in a conflict of interest situation. Therefore, if you give him
what he requests, you might suffer the consequences.
This is what you
tell him:
"I'm afraid I won't be able to satisfy
your requests. For me, they present a conflict of interest. It's against
my professional ethics.
"I can't give you your ex-boss's
home phone number without his permission; it's confidential
information. And I won't use my influence to convince him to rehire you.
That's called influence peddling.
"I can't bring home office
supplies for you. You are asking me to use my employer's property for
private advantage -- that's considered theft. And you shouldn't
be trying to bribe me with dinner either.
"What I will do is inform
my superior that we are friends. That way the company will know that we have
a relationship outside of work."
Your company should
know that you are friends with this ex-employee. If you tell them in advance,
they will trust your ethics and appreciate your honesty.
"Always let
your superiors know when something strange happens. Or if someone is asking
unusual questions. Trust your instincts. In my profession, I handle some very
private details about the company and our clients. I always ask my boss before
giving out important information, especially over the phone," says Gloria
Savage. She is a real estate receptionist.