If you've been privy to highly confidential information that you've been sworn to secrecy about, but know is going to affect the employment of a close friend of 27 years. What do you do? Abide by the sworn oath, or tell your friend in confidence?
Dilemma
- Thread starter Moomalade
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Soldato
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That's a tough one and I've been in similar situations and made both decisions. My take now is don't do the one with the greatest potential negative consequence to you.
Permabanned
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Would the friend welcome the news, if he or she had advanced notice could they mitigate the affect?
Could they be trusted not to grass?
Could they be trusted not to grass?
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Caporegime
Abide by your sworn oath but also tell your friend in confidence and if later questioned just explain that you have to return some videotapes.
Associate
Would it affect your employment if your friend found out?
I think my friend would appreciate the news, and would be able to use it to plan in advance moves to mitigate the affect. They can be trusted.
But I'd be betraying the trust of another friend with this highly privileged information.
Possibly, if I make moves and they do not.
Associate
Why did they tell you?
No, we are in separate areas
Because I just happen to be close friends with someone on the inside who has access to this info, and they are looking out for me. Ironically, they were also sworn to secrecy, so maybe I can break the oath as well.
Associate
If you want to keep a secret then don't tell anyone.
I would tell my friend especially a close friend of 27 years.
I would tell my friend especially a close friend of 27 years.
Keep silent. If you tell your friend you will be found out. You will then be fired. This happens all the time to managers. They've got to keep smiling when they know half their department will be cut. And remember that the future is not set: your friend may be given a reprieve.
FFS! Your other friend will also be fired. You can plausibly not know about it, therefore you don't know about it.
depends on the context tbh...
Why not just explain what the situation is? You don't have to give details that would reveal the company etc...
How does it affect your friends employment? In what way have you been "sworn to secrecy" etc..?
Why not just explain what the situation is? You don't have to give details that would reveal the company etc...
How does it affect your friends employment? In what way have you been "sworn to secrecy" etc..?
Permabanned
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you need to do an assessment of which friend is most trustworthy and weight the score with the potential consequences.
If I'm reading this right that you and the friend who told you don't officially know this information (and it potentially affects you too) then just tell your mate of 27 years too... the secret is out already, your mate wasn't supposed to know and he told you, others probably know too etc... **** it, do your friend of 27 years a favour.
Associate
Are you able to use this information to your advantage? if yes then you need to tell your friend.
Yeah, that's the way I'm leaning, just wanted to canvas some anonymous opinions, thanks for the feedback