The Ultimate Business Land Mine: Dating a Coworker

Savvy Intrapreneurs understand there is a time and a place for playing the game of monopoly and office romances. Let's cut right to the chase about dating a co-worker. Do not pass "Go". Do not collect $200? Go directly to human resources and submit your resignation. Begin a new job. Now call that ex-coworker for a date. This exit strategy should be seriously considered, before the timer is set on the office romance land mine. Tick tock . . . tick tock - This includes a coworker located in another geographical location.

This isn't about whether an office romance is right or wrong. As Savvy Intrapreneurs run their career like a business, it's about making an intelligent and objective business decision. Savvy Intraprenuers are passionate about not letting anyone or anything get in the way of developing their business careers. This is accomplished without hurting or using other people. Sometimes it better to just say "let's not and say we did".

For some very cool statistics on office romances, Abbas provides some insight with an article "What You should be Aware of, If You're Dating at Work".

Thinking about an Office Romance?
Riddle me this batman; answering "Yes" to all question indicates "go for it"

1. Is my developing my professional career worth the dangerous office land mines I will encounter by dating that person?
2. Is that person [and am I] capable of turning the personal part of the relationship on/off, at will, during business hours?
3. Will I be to filter out the office gossip that is sure to blow through the office?
4. Am I willing to cut my losses and move on (i.e move to another company), if the romance fizzles?
5. Will I have an objective attitude to not get involved, when that person has issues related their job with coworkers and their manager?
6. Will I be objective if person has close friendships with coworkers of the opposite sex?
7. Am I willing to spend both my business and personal time with that person?
8. If I have issues related to my job with coworkers and my manager, will that person stay out of it?
9. If I have a heated discussion (disagreement) with that person during our personal time, will I or they be able act in a professional manner at work? Will the resolution be able to take place only during our personal time?
10. Can we both agree on boundaries in maintaining a continuous professional posture during business hours?

Involved in an Office Romance?
Any of the above questions sound familiar? Enough said.

Kaboom: The Office Romance Crashes and Burns?
A wise person learns from a mistake. Only a fool repeats the same mistake twice.
Try to establish an amicable separation. If maintaining office professionalism is not working, go to the exit strategy listed above.

Copyright (c) 2006 Savvy Intrapreneur & C. E. Reid