Lessons learned – the hard way

Have you ever suggested something with the pure intention of helping someone and then that person got offended and gave you gali’s instead..

Something very similar happened today.. I was surfing the net (which to some extend is a part of my job..) and came across a site which mentioned some amazing gift ideas.. so I casually noted a few ideas and sent it to our EA (executive assistant) and in the mail wrote ‘for your boss who will leave us shortly’.. (he is going to retire soon).. I couldn’t see anything wrong in the mail.. and was happy for my new good deed..

It was only after she came over to my desk and gave me gali’s (not in the literal sense) that I realized that I had goofed up with something.. after several repeated times of reading the mail I send her and coaxing Arun (my team member), that I figured the reason - the news of her boss retiring was not yet officially announced (though the entire office spoke of it..) and she didn’t want to be the source of such rumors.. hmmm

So lessons learned – never give suggestions - especially if you are new to the company, no matter how good they are or whom they help..