The longer I work in a cubicle, the more I realize the cast of characters is the same no matter where you work.
Do you have that person in your office that reads/watches/listens to the news but some how gets the story completely wrong and then tries to use it as a conversation starter? Or doesn’t believe it has been updated (for example MTV banning Lady Gaga’s newest video, or that coffee is as bad as soda for your liver—neither are true)?
I used to try to bite my tongue, but lately it’s gotten so constant that I can’t. I Google the story he insists is true, only to prove it isn’t. Despite this evidence, he still insists the initial story is true and adamantly believes it!
I feel bad for proving this person wrong regularly. I am not trying to make him look stupid, because he isn’t. There’s just something about spreading wrong information that infuriates me.
Oh this post made me smile, especially since I work with TJ Dietderich. Actually we sit right next to each other. One of its many luxuries of working with TJ is that she knows every random fact out there. She would be perfect for Jeopardy I swear!
Now in your case it’s correcting an easily googleable story to show that your coworker is in fact wrong. In my situation, TJ thinks I should know something simply because she does which isn’t always the case. She often corrects me which at times drives me nuts, especially if she understands the point I’m trying to make.
I would say a) pick and choose what to correct. b) its always how you say it not what you say. Since this person works with you, you don’t want to step on too many toes and make him/her feel embarrassed.
Thanks for the comments, Christina! I completely agree with you about picking and choosing what to correct. For what it’s worth (and I should have expounded on this), I try to only let the completely wrong items get corrected and not just what I would call wrong opinions. I’m sure my coworker isn’t just using these as conversation starters with me and I would hate for someone who doesn’t know him to get the wrong impression, because he is very smart, funny, kind and intelligent. But you can’t save everyone from themselves!
No one wants to be a know it all or smarty pants or even worse make people feel bad. I’m still learning and I can tell by his face when I’ve gone too far and apologize immediately.